Chhattisgarh to waive off farm loan of 90,000 farmers

The Chhattisgarh government has decided to waive off farm loan of around 90,000 farmers in the state who had failed to repay the amount due to poor agriculture yield.

The farmers, who had taken loan during the period 1991 and 1997 from different cooperative and rural banks, would heave a sigh of relief with the state government’s announcement. The beneficiary includes mostly small and medium farmer.

In all, farm loan of 90,000 farmers across the state would be waived off. The exact amount could not be known. The farmers failed to repay the loan as the crop failed in the season and they could not get the desired yield.

 

“Now, the farmers would be in a position to get loan from the banks (as they were barred due to non-payment),” Chief Minister Raman Singh said while addressing the people of the state on Independence Day. The writing off loan was one among the slew of announcements made by the chief minister on the occasion.

Singh said the premium grant for the crop insurance had also been increased from five to 20 per cent so that maximum medium and small farmers could take the benefit of the scheme. The free gram (chana) distribution scheme launched by the state government would also be extended to other areas in the state.

Earlier, the scheme was effective in 65 development blocks across Bastar and Sarguja development blocks. “It would now be implemented in 85 tribal predominated development blocks in the state with effect from January 1, 2013,” Singh said, adding that instead of one kilogram, the beneficiary would now get two kilogram of gram.