By Dominick Rodrigues

 Mumbai : Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, while highlighting speedy clearances under “Ease of Doing Business” for various projects in the Industry sector, has urged banks to provide urgent single window clearances and increased credit supply for all projects related to agriculture.

He was addressing the 151st State Level Bankers’ Committee (SLBC) meeting here, which approved a credit plan of Rs. 4.60 thousand, 881 crore of the state Government for the year 2021-22. The plan includes target for agriculture is Rs. 1.18 lakh,720 crore while crop loan target is Rs. 60,860 crores and  other priority sector lending target is Rs. 93022 crores.

Emphasizing the campaign of “Whatever is sold, is cultivated” where thrust is on overall development of the agriculture sector, Thackeray said that the state is concentrating on crop planning, market research, infrastructure development in the sector, developing agricultural processing and value addition. He asked banks and government officials to jointly hold meetings to deliberate on as to how farming sector and farmers can be empowered.

Stating that agriculture — which was kept outside restrictions — has saved the state economy during the Corona crisis, the chief minister said banks, while thinking of village development, banks should take a stance on cooperation through credit supply. Noting that the monsoon conditions are favourable this year, he urged the banks to provide crop loans in time to farmers.

While farmers repaying crop loans in time are being provided loan up to Rs. One lakh without interest under the Dr Panjabrao Deshmukh scheme, this limit is being raised to Rs. 3 lakhs, Thackeray said while asking banks to provide loan to such farmers with increased limit and assure firm support to them.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar urged for NABARD refinancing for district banks in Nagpur, Nandurbar, Dhule, Nashik, Osmanabad, Buldhana and Beed that facing financial problems that deprived farmers of crop loans.

Besides providing crop loans to farmers, commercial banks should provide information the number of farmers receiving this loan, Pawar said the finance limit to the sugar industry needed to be revised by NABARD and RBI.

Maharashtra Agriculture Minister Dadaji Bhuse said commercial banks need to increase their credit supply to farmers from the present barely 4 percent, while also including newer farmers for bank loans and increasing banks branches in rural areas. He also highlighted the need for balanced credit supply in rural areas, while expressing concern over women’s self-help groups (SHG’s) being harassed in even opening bank accounts.

Urging for all farmers being provided with crop loans by this June end, Maharashtra Minister for Cooperation Balasaheb Patil said commercial banks need to be separately reviewed about their completion of targets.

Minister of state for agriculture Vishwajeet Kadam, chief secretary Sitaram Kunte, SLBC members, additional secretary with Union Government Vandita Kaul, various senior officials from state Government departments, RBI and NABARD officials were present.