Jharkhand government to waive farm loans up to Rs 50,000

The government has got Rs 2,000 crore budgetary sanction for the move in the current fiscal.

The Jharkhand government in a cabinet meeting on Wednesday decided to waive all agriculture and farm loans up to Rs 50,000, benefiting about 9.07 lakh farmers in the state.

Detailing the move, cabinet secretary Ajoy Kumar said those farmers who have paid at least one EMI in the loan tenure period will be eligible. (Photo@HemantSorenJMM)

The government has got Rs 2,000 crore budgetary sanction for the move in the current fiscal.

Detailing the move, cabinet secretary Ajoy Kumar said those farmers who have paid at least one EMI in the loan tenure period will be eligible.

The farmers will have to submit their ration card and Aadhar numbers linked to banks to which the loan amount will be transferred under direct benefit transfer upon completion of KYC in concerned bank branch and verification on mobile phone.

The farmers have to provide their mobile number and Re 1 token money with the application.

The cabinet also approved ‘fasal rahat yojana’ aimed at providing relief to the farmers who have faced crop loss and ‘pasudhan yojana’ meant for improving upon income of the families involved in cattle farming.

The government decided to do away with the insurance companies on verification of complaints regarding poor payment of compensations against premiums collected. Instead, the government would compensate the farmers for crop loss under fasal rahat yojana. Rs 100 crore has been earmarked for the purpose in 2020-21.

Approval was given to a scholarship scheme for aspirants belonging to ST communities and willing to pursue masters from universities in the United Kingdom. The name of the varieties and courses too got the nod.

The cabinet secretary said the scholarship will cover annual tuition fees and a maximum of 10,000 pound/sterling against maintenance, besides VISA and cost of air passage and local travel.

Approval was also given to lac farm management and production. Ajoy Kumar said it would increase annual income of about 12 lakh farmers by about Rs 5,200 per annum. Fourteen forest farms have been identified.

The decks were cleared for providing micronutrient fortified and energy food to the children in the age group of 6 to 36 months (general) and 6 to 72 months (malnourished) besides expecting mothers through 38,432 anganwadis.