​Chhattisgarh government disburses loans worth Rs 2,000 crore to farmers

RAIPUR: Chhattisgarh government has so far disbursed short-term agriculture loans of over Rs 2,000 crore to state farmers during the ongoing kharif season.

Short-term agriculture loans worth Rs 2,089 crore have been distributed to 9.12 lakh farmers till early this month during the current crop season, a public relations officer said here today.

Fifty per cent of the loans have been given in the form of materials and the remaining 50 per cent in cash, the official said.

As per the declaration made by Chief Minister Raman Singh in the Budget, interest-free loans are being given to farmers for cultivation of Kharif and Rabi crops during the current financial year.

The target is to disburse Rs 2,450 crore during the present Kharif season, of which so far 85.28 per cent target has been achieved, he said.

The loans are being given to farmers through Primary Agriculture Credit Cooperative Societies affiliated to District Co-operative Central Banks, the official said.

Last year, a target had been set to distribute Rs 2,300 crore loans during the Kharif season at a rate of 1 per cent interest and loans worth Rs 1,811 crore were distributed during the period.