The Rajasthan government has decided to extend the duration of the camps for the interest-free farm loan scheme till 21st February 2024. The camps, which were initially scheduled to end on 15th February, will now be organized at the Gram Panchayat level across the state.
The interest-free farm loan scheme, launched by the state government in 2023, aims to provide loans at 0% interest rate to farmers for their agricultural produce. The scheme covers loans up to Rs 3 lakh taken from cooperative banks and societies. The state government bears the interest burden of the loans, which amounts to Rs 1,200 crore per annum.
The scheme is expected to benefit more than 25 lakh farmers in the state, who can avail the loans through the camps. The camps also provide other facilities such as loan waiver certificates, Kisan Credit Cards, soil health cards, and crop insurance.
The state government has claimed that the scheme has helped the farmers in improving their productivity and income, as well as reducing their dependence on moneylenders. The scheme has also been praised by various farmers’ organizations and experts.
The extension of the camps has been welcomed by the farmers, who have expressed their gratitude to the state government for the scheme. The farmers have also urged the central government to implement a similar scheme at the national level, as well as to ensure the legal guarantee of the minimum support price (MSP) for their crops.
