Sri Ganganagar : 7082 farmers of 341 Gram Seva Cooperative Societies of Sri Ganganagar and Anupgarh districts are facing the threat of default. The government is expected to extend the last date for farmers. If the date is not extended, then the farmers will have to repay the principal amount along with nine percent interest along with the principal loan. At present, 7082 farmers of Sri Ganganagar district have come under the OD category and they have a loan of Rs 31 crore 40 lakh outstanding. If we talk about the total OD farmers, then their number in the district is 15 thousand 413 and they have an amount of Rs 67 crore 60 lakh outstanding, while only 7082 farmers will get the benefit of the date exemption. It is worth mentioning that the last date for depositing the loan without interest was 30 June 2024 and many farmers could not pay the loan during this period. Due to this, now these farmers will have to deposit the principal amount along with interest. These farmers can get relief only if the last date is extended.
hope from the government
The hopes of the farmers who have not been able to repay the interest-free crop loan on time in the state are now pinned on the government. Farmers say that the government can give farmers one more chance. There is a stir in the cooperative department at the Jaipur level regarding this. It is expected that an order may be issued regarding this in five-six days.
‘Seven thousand farmers in Sri Ganganagar-Anupgarh district are in the category of defaulters. If they do not get any relaxation on the due date, they will have to pay the amount along with the interest on the principal loan.’ – Sanjay Garg, MD, The Ganganagar Central Cooperative Bank, Sri Ganganagar.
This is how farmers become defaulters
The Ganganagar Central Cooperative Bank provides interest-free crop loan to its members twice in the Rabi and Kharif seasons. On repaying the loan amount on time, farmers are given crop loan without interest for the next season. If the loan is not repaid on time, the concerned farmers do not get interest-free loan in the next season. After this, farmers have to repay the principal amount along with nine percent interest. Only after this, the farmer’s account comes into the mainstream.
This much loan was distributed without interest.
The Ganganagar Central Cooperative Bank had distributed interest-free crop loan of Rs 523.60 lakh to 1 lakh 8039 farmers in the Kharif season, whereas interest-free crop loan of Rs 10603.44 lakh was distributed to 27 lakh 79 thousand 050 farmers in the state.
