The Hindu Business Line : Potato crop loss: Centre urged to release money

Kolkata, Feb. 13 West Bengal State Cooperative Bank Ltd (WBSCB), on behalf of the State’s short-term cooperative credit structure, has urged the Union Government to immediately release its share of fund to be paid as compensation under the crop insurance scheme to the State’s potato growers hit by crop losses.

According to Mr Samir Ghosh, Chairman of WBSCB, an estimated two lakh potato growers in the State have suffered a loss to the tune of Rs 218.15 crore as assessed by the State Agriculture Department and the West Bengal Government has already released its share, Rs 99.25 crore, and placed the amount at the disposal of Agriculture Insurance Company of India Ltd. “However, the Union Government is yet to release its share of contribution to AICI,” Mr Ghosh said in a statement here on Wednesday.

As a result, as he pointed out, the potato growers were in a fix. Since they have not received compensation under the crop insurance scheme, they have not been able to clear their dues to primary agriculture credit societies and thus raise fresh loans.

“This is affecting the recovery of crop loans by primary agriculture credit societies; worse, the farmers will be burdened with the payment of penal rate of interest and as a cumulative effect of all this, the short-term co-operative credit structure in the State will find it hard to hit the targeted crop loans of Rs 1,075 crore in 2007-08,” Mr Ghosh said.

More Stories on : Horticulture/Fruits & Vegetables | West Bengal

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