The Hindu Business Line : SLBC draws up plan to disburse Rs 4,036 cr to drought-hit farmers in AP

THE State-Level Bankers' Committee (SLBC), at its emergency meeting here on Tuesday convened by Andhra Bank, has drawn up a detailed action plan on relief measures to be initiated immediately to address the drought situation prevailing in Andhra Pradesh.

According to the SLBC Convenor and Andhra Bank General Manager, Mr A.L. Nageswara Rao, the bankers decided to disburse Rs 4,036 crore out of Rs 5,300 crore earmarked for the kharif-2002 to meet the immediate requirements of the affected farmers. In a move to speed up relief measures on a war footing in the 836 drought-affected mandals in 22 districts of the State, SLBC meet approved a proposal to disburse fresh crop loans to eligible farmers in drought-affected areas as per the existing scales of finance.

However, only those farmers who were raising suitable alternative crops as suggested by the Department of Agriculture would be eligible for these fresh crop loans.

The committee also decided to convert the crop loans to term loans and reschedule and postpone the existing term loan instalments. The affected farmers would also be given agricultural term loans for the purchase of draught animals. In a press release, Mr Nageswara Rao said the lead district managers would convene Special District Consultative Committee meetings to work out a plan of action and implementation and submit fortnightly reports to SLBC.

Apart from providing loans to artisans and self-employed persons, including handloom weavers, affected by drought, the SLBC meet also decided to immediately ground all schemes under Government-sponsored programmes, Mr Nageswara Rao said.

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