Banks have agreed to renew farm loans to an extent of 25-30 per cent in view of the Telangana government’s decision to credit 25 per cent crop loan to the bank accounts of farmers, according to Minister for Agriculture P.Srinivas Reddy.
Mr. Reddy along with Finance Minister Eatala Rajender told reporters after a meeting here that crop insurance would also be ensured. Since time was running out, Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao had approved the Cabinet sub-committee report immediately. GO 532 releasing funds of Rs.4,250 crore was issued on Monday itself while G.O. 116 giving the administrative sanction was issued on Tuesday, the ministers told the media.
Thanking the Chief Minister for the bold step, they said the first instalment of loan clearance would benefit 36 lakh farmers. They said officials of Revenue department would help the farmers secure fresh loans. They asked the farmers to approach the banks as per the village-wise schedule given by them. The TRS government had honoured the promise it made. “We believe in action and not just words”, the ministers said and criticised the Congress for making baseless allegations.
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Procurement centres would be opened in all the nine districts of the State from October 1. There were 2,000 purchasing centres of the Civil Supplies department apart from Markfed and cooperative societies. Minimum support price of Rs. 1,345 would be given for paddy and Rs. 1,310 for maize.
Claiming that there was no shortage of urea in the State, Mr. Srinivas Reddy said that traders in Mahabubnagar and Nalgonda districts were trying to create artificial scarcity. The requirement of the State was 17.44 lakh tonnes. Urging the farmers not to resort to panic buying Mr Reddy said that if necessary, the government would get additional quota of urea from the Centre.