Nabard plans package for flu-hit growers

The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) may consider a package for poultry owners affected by bird flu, once the present outbreak of the disease is contained, U C Sarangi, chairman of NABARD, said here on the sidelines of a seminar on credit requirement of banks.

"Poultry is in distress in West Bengal. There are a large number of small poultry owners in the state. We are receiving information on the subject. The situation must first be contained, and then we will discuss the credit requirement. For the next three months, I don't think there will be any fresh poultry farming, but after that we will see if how to wipe-off the existing loans of the poultry owners and give them soft loans," he said.

Sarangi said fisheries, poultry and dairy were potential sectors of growth in West Bengal.

He said banks should not ask for collateral against loans while giving loans to farmers and self help groups in rural areas.

Also, withdrawal from savings should be allowed in the areas.

"Nabard is conducting a study on rural credit. In the study, it has been found we have been able to deepen the scope of rural credit, its width has remained more or less the same. We have to see how to cover more and more farmers through banks," he said.

Speaking on the occasion, Asim Dasgupta, finance minister of West Bengal, said to widen the reach of credit in rural areas, the banks must increase staff strength and link themselves to the self help groups.

"Our SHGs are ready to pre-sanction the loans, through panchayats, but there should be some banking facility in the area to assist them. It we can combine the SHGs with the banks, major breakthroughs can be achieved," Dasgupta said.

P K Gupta, chairman and managing director of the United Bank of India, said at the meeting that the two sectors yet to receive banking facilities were small sector industries and agriculture.

He said farmers should take advantage of the Kisan Credit Card facilities access loans through banks.

Farmers should be helped to free them from the burdens of existing loans.