Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen
Patnaik has asked the Centre to direct commercial banks to
launch a special drive to provide Kisan Credit Cards (KCC) to
all farmers in the state by this year end.
In a letter to Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee,
the Chief Minister lamented that commercial banks failed to
give adequate crop loan to the farmers in Odisha.
The banks should make available KCC to all the farmers
and provide adequate credit support to the holders of these
cards, he said.
"These steps will go a long way in making a significant
impact in Odisha, which is one of the seven focus states in
the eastern region for the second Green Revolution with
support from the Union Government," Patnaik said.
The Chief Minister, who reviewed preparations for rabi
cultivation, said commercial banks were providing only 30 per
cent of total credit to the farmers, forcing them to depend
heavily on cooperative banks.
Soliciting an early response from Mukherjee, Patnaik said
at a meeting of the state level bankers committee (SLBC) held
in August, that he had requested commercial banks to
effectively discharge their responsibilities towards the
farmers.
However, at another SLBC held on November 15, it was
found that commercial banks` achievements under crop loan and
total advances to the priority sector as against Actual Credit
Plan were 59 per cent and 46 per cent respectively of the
targets up to September, he said.
"It shows the commercial banks have not taken their
task seriously at all," Patnaik said, seeking a special drive
to provide KCCs to all farmers.
PTI
