CM bats for natural farming

Vijayawada: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has emphasised that natural farming and horticulture will be game changers in enhancing farmers' income. He urged bankers to extend financial assistance to these sectors to drive their development.

Addressing a state-level bankers’ meeting at the Secretariat on Monday, the Chief Minister appealed to banks to actively participate in the Swarnandhra Vision-2047 initiative, which aims for a 15% growth rate and increased per capita income. He stressed the need for banks to support the horticulture and dairy sectors to uplift farmers financially and prevent suicides due to economic distress.

The Chief Minister also highlighted the government's target of providing solar rooftops to 20 lakh families under the PM Suryagarh scheme this year. He urged bankers to offer financial assistance to promote green energy initiatives.

Union Bank of India CEO MDA Manimekhalai stated that banks are fully supporting Andhra Pradesh’s development. She noted that banks had achieved 99% of their loan sanction targets, disbursing Rs 5.34 lakh crore in loans by the end of December as part of the 2024-25 annual credit plan.

Of this, Rs 2.37 lakh crore was allocated to the agriculture sector and Rs 3.26 lakh crore to the priority sector. The MSME sector received loans amounting to Rs 79,905 crore.

Agriculture Minister K Atchannaidu urged banks to provide financial assistance to tenant farmers and support the purchase of drones for agricultural use. Finance Minister Payyavula Kesav called on banks to extend more loans to farmers, contributing to the state’s economic growth. MSME Minister Kondapalli Srinivas urged banks to support new entrepreneurs.

Chief Secretary K Vijayanand requested bankers' cooperation in developing clean and green energy initia tives. The meeting was attended by National SC Commission Director Sunil Kumar Babu, RBI RDA Basheer, NABARD CGM M R Gopal and other officials.