The Odisha State Cooperative Bank limited (OSCBl) has set a target of disbursement of Rs8,000 crore as short-term crop loans during the current fiscal 2014-15. The amount is a 13-per cent increase over the last year’s loan amount of the same category.

The bank has also decided to dispense Rs4,200 crore during Kharif and Rs3,800 crore during Rabi crop season. In FY 2013-14, this apex cooperative body of the State had disbursed Rs7,090.27 crore to 28.66 lakh farmers. The loan amount was 101 per cent of the targeted amount of Rs7,000 crore.It may be noted that an average of 65 per cent of crop loan is being provided to the farmers each year by the OSCBl. A total of 2,705 Primary Agriculture Credit Cooperative Societies under the 17 Central Cooperative Banks are supporting in giving the credit amount.

While the current Kharif season started from April 1, the OSCBl has set credit targets for Central Cooperative Banks operating in different parts of the State. The Sambalpur District Cooperative Bank has been given the highest credit disbursement target of Rs715 crore.Credit targets set for the other 16 Central Cooperative banks are as follows: Cuttack Rs 660 crore, Baleswar-Bhadrak Rs600 crore, Angul Rs 310 crore, Koraput Rs210 crore, Khordha and Sundargarh Rs200 crore each, Balangir Rs160 crore, Nayagarh Rs140 crore, Banki Rs150 crore, Brahmapur Rs150 crore, Mayurbhanj Rs130 crore, Aska Rs125 crore, Boudh Rs120 crore, Keojhar Rs120 crore, Puri-Nimapara Rs110 crore and Bhawanipatna Rs100 crore.

The Koraput District Cooperative Bank had registered the highest 118 per cent credit disbursement during 2013-14.