The Potential Linked Credit Plan (PLCP) for 2011-12 for Karur district envisages credit estimate of Rs.1,387.08 crore with the credit requirement for the short-term crop pegged at Rs.372.64 crore.
The PLCP, prepared by the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), details the estimate for term credit for important thrust areas like water resources, farm mechanisation, plantation and horticulture, animal husbandry, storage, food and agro processing as Rs.148.29 crore. The other estimates for non-farm sector and other priority sector were estimated to be Rs.614.15 crore and Rs.252 crore, respectively. The PLCP was released at the District Consultative Committee meeting for bankers and officials here on Friday.
The NABARD, in its endeavour for rural development through effective credit planning, credit support, infrastructure development and other promotional initiatives for agriculture and allied activities, has been bringing out district-wise PLCP every year to guide banks in their Annual Credit Plan exercise.
Those plans map the potential available in the district for development of agriculture and allied activities, including non-farm sector and the other priority sectors and accordingly project credit requirements to be met by banks for exploiting these identified potential.
In order to hasten the process of development through exploitation of the identified potential, the PLCP has suggested various sector-wise infrastructure requirements as also the need for expanding coverage under the recent farm technologies for improving production and productivity of agriculture and allied activities.
Renovation and strengthening of major supply channels of River Cauvery and River Amaravathi, reconstruction of check dams affected by 2005 floods, toning up seed processing units in the private sector, establishment or modernisation of milk chilling plants, renovation of sheep and goat shandies, market tie-up and input supply for cultivation of glorisa superba were some of the major infrastructure requirements contemplated for meeting the long term needs of agriculture and allied activities.
As the area under forest was far less than the normal requirement - only 2 per cent against the stipulated 33 per cent - the PLCP has strongly suggested taking steps to improve green cover in Karur district.
District Collector J. Uma Maheswari released the PLCP booklet and Senior Regional Manager, Indian Overseas Bank, Dindigul Region, C. Anbu, received the first copy. NABARD Assistant General Manager A. Parthiban, Lead District Manager K. Chandrasekaran, and others participated at the district consultative committee meeting.
