Sixty-five lakh farmers in Uttar Pradesh will be provided with credit cards to ensure that they get loans for agri products at minimal rates. However, the Uttar Pradesh government states that only those farmers will be included who are deprived of such loans.
In UP alone, there are around 2.17 cr farmers and families. Ranvijay Singh, deputy director of Krishi Vibhag, UP, said, "The credit cards will be provided by the nearest banks in villages and banks where farmers have their accounts."
According to the agriculture board, 30-35% lakh farmers do not have access to loans for harvest and almost 15-20% farmers are not eligible.
"The interest rate will be nominal at 4% as decided by the government. The main agenda is to make life easier for the farmers as many are deprived of loans which lead to massive losses to the farmers and the country as well," said Rajesh Gupta, joint director, Krishi Vibhag.
"This is a positive step towards ensuring that farmers in UP benefit as such loans will boost harvest," said Congress MLA Dr Bijender Singh.
5 June 2011 — The Sunday Guardian.
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