Be compassionate towards farmers, bankers told Collector Prashanth Jeevan Patil

Warangal: Be compassionate towards the farmers, Warangal Urban District Collector Prashanth Jeevan Patil told the bankers. Chairing a coordination meeting here on Tuesday, he told the bankers to extend crop loans to all the farmers.

"Even though there are about one lakh pattadars in the Urban district limits, only 36,000 of them have got crop loans from the banks. It needs to be changed to protect the cultivators from the clutches of financiers who were fleecing exorbitant interests," the Collector said.

He directed the bankers to distribute crop loans as suggested by the State Level Bankers meet. He said that bankers had distributed crop loans to the tune of Rs 379 crore as against the target of Rs 657 crore during the kharif.

"So far in Rabi, the bankers gave away Rs 24 crore crop loans to the farmers. The bankers have to achieve the target of Rs 438 crore," the Collector said. He directed the officials to launch publicity on crop loan waiver through All India Radio and FM Radios.

He directed the bankers to reach out to the farmers to give them the crop loans. The government was also doing its bit by providing financial assistance of Rs 10,000 per acre per annum to the farmers, he added.

Paddy cultivation in the district to go up to 36,000 hectares from last year's 25,000 hectares, he said, referring to the conducive irrigation facilities in the region. Special officer Manu Chowdary, RBI Lead District Officer Sai Charan, SBI AGM Ramana and LDM Srinivas Rao were among others present.