Building the pitch for next year's panchayat elections in West Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday announced several pro-farmer measures including expansion of Kisan Credit Card cover and setting up of Kisan mandis and cold storages at block level.
Stating that her government wanted to free farmers from the clutches of money-lenders and assist them in securing loans, Banerjee emphasised that the KCC would help all farmers access bank credit at seven per cent per year which would go down to four per cent on prompt repayment of loans.
Rs50,000 per farmer would be given such loans, Banerjee, who had targetted providing 8 lakh KCC cards after coming to power, said. In last eight months 2 lakh such cards were given.
Launching a Rs110 crore farm loan, she also promised to provide more jobs under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme.
"Currently one member gets 100 days work. If any one completes 100 days work, 200 days work will be given because the government wants the farmers to live properly," she said while distributing 5,300 Kisan Credit Cards and pattas.
She reiterated that her government would amend the West Bengal Co-operative Societies Act, 2006 to ensure that banks run by cooperative societies were not empowered to attach the property of farmers failing to repay loans. The chief minister could pay back loans after selling their crops after harvest.
She emphasised that it was the Left Front that had brought in the law and said that her government would rectify it.