Near 21 lakh farmers get crop loans of Rs 8,700 cr in Raj

Farm loans of Rs 8,700 crore were disbursed to nearly 21 lakh farmers in Rajasthan against the target of Rs 9,000 crore for summer season crops, a state minister said today.
About 20.60 lakh farmers were given Rs 8,320 crore interest free loan in the same kharif season of last year, Rajasthan Cooperative Minister Ajay Singh Kilak said in a statement.
The statement has come amid rising demands from the opposition and farmers association for loan waiver to farmers.
The cooperative minister said that till now 52,000 farmers have been benefited for the first time by providing short-term crop loans this year.

He said that more farmers will be added during the rabi (winter) season as the state government targets to cover 3 lakh new farmers for the disbursement of loans this crop year.
Kilak said that crop loan disbursement is going at a fast pace and it will be completed by August 31.
He informed that in the current financial year, about 25 lakh farmers will be given interest free crop loan of Rs 15,000 crore, of which Rs 9,000 crore have been targeted for the kharif season whereas Rs 6,000 crore loan will be disbursed in the rabi season.