10 lakh farmers in Karnataka to get loans of Rs 10,000 each

PTI

Shimoga, 06 March 2011: Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa today said 10 lakh small and medium farmers in the state could avail loans of Rs 10,000 each starting from April 1.

 

The farmers, including 2.50 lakh from Scheduled Caste and 1 lakh from Scheduled Tribe category, will have to fill a application form with their photographs and land ownership records and submit it to the respective deputy commissioners before April, he said.

 

The government would deposit Rs 5,000 in the account of each applicant and the balance would be released after confirming the crops developed by farmers at their fields, he said.

 

"This initiative is targeted at enabling farmers strengthen their farming activities," Yeddyurappa said.

 

Expressing concern over depletion of groundwater table all over Karnataka, the chief minister said the government has decided to accord Rs five crore each to all Assembly constituencies to tackle the problem.

 

Officials have been directed to take steps to desilt all tanks to enable storage of sufficient waster in the rainy season to strengthen the groundwater table, he said.