So far 3, 83, 102 farmer benefited from it and loans worth Rs 1529.01 crore waived
In an attempt to infuse more liquidity among farmers of the State, the loan waiver scheme launched by the Department of Agriculture, Government of Jharkhand is proving boon for the farmers of the State. So far 3, 83, 102 farmers benefited from it and loan worth Rs 1529.01 crore waived off.
Loan waiver scheme announced by the coalition Government led by Chief Minister, Hemant Soren in the run up to the State Assembly elections in 2019.
The department consists of a team led by Director Agriculture, Nesha Oraon and under her supervision the team is providing benefit to the farmers even in remotest areas of the State with rapid pace. Following the goal it has completed 423 days of the scheme. The Government is giving the benefit of the scheme to 906 farmers every day and Rs 3.34 crore loan is being waived every day. In the financial year 2020-21, 1, 22, 238 people were given the benefit of the scheme. A total of 494.96 crores were distributed in this financial year. In the financial year 2021-22, 2, 60, 864 farmers were benefited from the scheme. 1034.05 crore payment has been started in this financial year.
Oraon said that the purpose of Jharkhand Agriculture Loan Waiver Scheme is to give relief from the burden of debt to the farmers holding short term agricultural loans of the state. The scheme aims to improve the credit worthiness of crop loan holders, ensure loan access for new crops, prevent migration of farming communities and strengthen the agricultural economy, she added.
The Director further said that indebtedness is a cause for distress and suicide among farmers. “Economic Empowerment of farmers is essential for growth in the agricultural sector. An economically empowered farmer will have access to farm inputs, mechanization, entrepreneurship and others,” she added.
Couple of months earlier the department launched the Kisan Call Centre to know basic problems of the farmers. Through the call centre the department is resolving the problems related to the farmers' farm loan waiver scheme.
Oraon said that Giridih resident Dilip Kumar Bharti had applied for farm loan waiver in his name, but till now his agricultural loan was not waived. In this context, he lodged a complaint with the helpline service Grievance Management System (HSGMS) of the Government of Jharkhand. Its complaint number is 2707. After this, his problem was successfully resolved by contacting the District Agriculture Officer-Giridih, she added.
Like Dilip, many other farmers benefited from the Grievance Management System and their problems were resolved.