Tenant farmers get Rs 100cr aid in East Godavari.

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Rajahmundry: The tenant farmers having loan eligibility certificates, registered as Rythu Mitra Groups (RMGs) and those formed as joint liability groups (JLGs) will be provided with advances to the tune of Rs 100 crore in the present crop year of 2013-14 in East Godavari.
According to bankers, a decision to this effect was taken at the meet organised with stake holder departments few days ago. It is said that the district joint collector R. Mutyala Raju impressed upon the need to increase the scale of finance and the number in the present crop year.
In total, 80,000 farmers from these sections will be aided through bank loans in the current crop season. The interest waiver on crop loans up to Rs 1 lakh is said to be another advantage to these sections.
The bankers are said to have agreed for this double-fold rise to Rs 100 crore, the highest since the coverage started to these sections on the assurance of taking up special drive by the distinct administration in collecting dues which piled up in the last three years from 2010-11 to 12-13.
As per the details available, out of the total Rs 38 crore advanced to these sections (during this period) more than 50 per cent amount remained unpaid and turned out as NPAs.
As per the directive of the joint collector, joint teams consisting of revenue, agriculture and bankers impress upon the borrowers over the need to repay the loans. Those who responded positively will be provided with fresh lending immediately without any delay.
Apart from this, the joint director of agriculture D. Nirmala too is monitoring the repayments mandal wise on her part to add the much needed fillip to the special drive taken up.
The East Godavari lead bank district manager S. Jagannadha Swamy on Saturday said that all the 43 scheduled  banks were asked to renew the loans to these sections immediately upon the clearance of old dues in their service areas.
The immediate reimbursement of interest part of the loans repaid by these sections by government to banks is also a welcome sign in this aspect, the district manager added.