Cooperative institutions in the district have advanced Rs.112.48 crore so far this year against the target of Rs.175 crore, said N.R.Sivapathi, Minister for School Education, Law, Youth Welfare and Sports.
So far, about 31,827 persons have been advanced credit by cooperative societies and banks. Of this 4,718 new members of societies were advanced Rs.20.88 crore and 7,327 Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe beneficiaries were advanced Rs.35.18 crore as crop loan. This apart, differently abled persons have been extended credit to the tune of Rs.28.16 lakhs by cooperative institutions this year, he said speaking at the Cooperative Week celebration at Thottiyam on Friday.
Mr.Sivapathi also said that the cooperative societies have distributed 21,825 tonnes of fertilizers this year in the district. A primary agricultural cooperative society would be opened at Natham near Thottiyam this year as per the orders of Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, he said and appealed to farmers and self help groups to utilize the services rendered by the cooperative institutions.
The Minister distributed loans to the tune of Rs.2.86 crore to 373 persons on the occasion. He also presented shields to 25 best performing cooperative societies in the district.
T.P.Poonatchi, R.Chandrasekar and T.Indira Gandhi, MLAs, Jayashree Muralidharan, Collector, T.Rajathi, District Panchayat Chairperson, G.Rajendra Prasad, Joint Registrar of Cooperatives, and others spoke.