Lok Sabha Question No. 233 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-09-15
Subject: Agricultural Loans
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Ramdas Chandrabhanji Tadas

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, COOPERATION AND FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 233

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 15 TH  SEPTEMBER, 2020

## AGRICULTURAL LOANS

## 233.     SHRI RAMDAS C. TADAS:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Government  has  allocated  funds  all  over  the  country  for  agricultural loans in view of COVID19 pandemic; and
- (b) if so, the total amount allocated for Maharashtra along with the district-wise details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी (SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR)

(a) & (b):     The following schemes/funds were started  during the COVID-19 pandemic.

1.  Central Sector Scheme of Financing Facility under Agriculture Infrastructure Fund was approved  on  08.07.2020  to  provide  a  medium  -  long  term  debt  financing  facility  for investment in viable projects for post-harvest management Infrastructure and community farming assets through interest subvention and financial support. Under the scheme, Rs. 1 Lakh Crore will be provided by banks and financial institutions as loans to  Primary  Agricultural  Credit  Societies  (PACS),  Marketing  Cooperative  Societies, Farmer  Producers  Organizations  (FPOs),  Self  Help  Group  (SHG),  Farmers,  Joint Liability Groups (JLG), Multipurpose Cooperative Societies, Agri-entrepreneurs, Startups and Central/State agency or Local Body sponsored Public Private Partnership Project. All loans under this financing facility is eligible for  interest subvention of 3% per  annum up to  a  limit  of  Rs.  2  crore  and  is    available  for  a  maximum  period  of  7 years. Further, credit guarantee coverage is  available for eligible borrowers from this financing facility  under  Credit  Guarantee  Fund  Trust for  Micro  and  Small  Enterprises (CGTMSE) scheme for a loan up to Rs. 2 crore.

Under  the  scheme,  tentative  allocation  of  Rs.  8460  Cr.  has  been  done  for Maharashtra. There is no district wise allocation under the scheme. In principal sanction of Rs. 7163 lakh of loans for 309 projects of estimated project cost of Rs7959 lakh has been given by NABARD under the scheme.

2. Concessional  Credit  Boost  to  farmers :  Special  drive  initiated  to  cover  2.5  crore farmers  under  Kisan  Credit  Card  Scheme  (KCC)  for  providing  institutional  credit facilities at concessional rates.   This drive will infuse concessional credit worth two lakh crore rupees in the rural sector.  By 3 rd September, 2020, 123.51 KCC cards and Rs. 106,191 crore worth of  loans were sanctioned.
3. Emergency working capital for farmers : An additional fund of Rs. 30,000 crores will be  released  as  emergency  working  capital  for  farmers.  This  fund  will  be  disbursed through  NABARD  to  Rural  Cooperative  Banks  (RCBs)  and  Regional  Rural  Banks (RRBs) for meeting their crop loans requirements. This fund is expected to benefit three crore  small  and  marginal  farmers.  This  is  in  addition  to  the  financial  support  of  Rs. 90,000 crores that will be provided by NABARD to RCBs and RRBs to meet the crop loan demand this year.
4. Support to fishermen: The  Pradhan  Mantri  Matsya  Sampada  Yojana  (PMMSY)  has been launched  for integrated, sustainable, and inclusive development of marine and inland  fisheries.  Under  this  scheme,  Rs.  11,000  crores  will  be  spent  on  activities  in Marine, Inland fisheries, Inland fisheries and Aquaculture and Rs. 9,000 crores will be spent for developing infrastructure (such as fishing harbours, cold chain, markets).
5. Animal Husbandry infrastructure development: An Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund of Rs. 15,000 crores has been set up, with the aim of supporting private  investment  in  dairy  processing,  value  addition,  and  cattle  feed  infrastructure. Incentives will be given for establishing plants for export of niche dairy products.

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