The Hindu Business Line : Review of farm credit after Budget session: Chidambaram

THE Government will review the progress of agriculture credit flows at the end of the Budget session of Parliament, the Union Finance Minister, Mr P. Chidambaram, has said.

The Indian Banks Association (IBA) has been asked to arrange for a meeting of all chairmen and managing directors of banks to review the farm credit offtake, which will be addressed by the Finance Minister.

The Finance Minister plans to visit Orissa, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and Maharashtra after Saturday's tour of Karnataka to ensure agriculture credit flows to the farmers. "I will try to cover as much as possible physically," Mr Chidambaram said.

The Government has set a target to disburse Rs 15,000 crore as farm credit through banks across the nation during the current fiscal. The tour is also to ascertain the growth of educational loans in rural areas as well as disbursements towards self-help groups.

According to Mr Chidambaram, the progress of credit disbursal "was better than last month," though he was "not satisfied."