Turning conventional wisdom on its head, farmers in drought-hit Rajasthan
have created a record in paying up their dues against crop loans with
the state achieving a 79.5 per cent recovery rate till July this year,
the highest for the country.
This
belies scepticism voiced in certain banking circles that the state’s
farmers, hit by drought for last couple of years, might not be able
to repay their loans.
What’s
more, central cooperative banks in Ganganagar, Barmer and Jodhpur
whose operations are confined to desert areas, have recorded higher
recovery rates ranging from 92 per cent to 97 per cent. The recovery
has been quite spectacular considering the state witnessed consecutive
years of drought for the last three to four years.
The
reason for high recovery has been attributed by the cooperative sector
to greater realisation among the farmers that timely repayment would
make them eligible for fresh loans. Several facilities provided by
the banks have also contributed to the changed situation.
Though
a section of the farmers lobby has been pressing hard for a comprehensive
package of relief to farmers by way of rescheduling of loans, they
tend to ignore the fact that there was 13 per cent more recovery of
loans last year despite drought throughout the state.
Primary
agriculture cooperative societies in Rajasthan may be restructured
further in the light of the recommendations made by the Dixit committee
to the government.
The
recommendations seek to strengthen the 5,200 PACs in the state. Their
numbers may be increased further, officials in the state government
said.
The cooperative sector has, however, been approaching the current
drought with caution as the situation this time is worse than the
drought in 1987-88. All the 32 districts have been declared drought-affected.
The state government has sought an assistance of Rs 6,115 crore in
the interim memorandum presented to the Centre.
The
state government is also awaiting a final recommendation on the package
to be offered to the affected farmers by way of rescheduling of crop
loans.
JAIPUR: AMAR DE
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
[ TUESDAY, AUGUST 06, 2002 8:40:33 AM ]
