Bhubaneswar, Mar 10: Warning of dire consequences over not meeting the fiscal Rabi crop loan disbursement target, Cooperation minister Damodar Rout on Thursday asked the cooperative banks to disburse the remaining amount of Rs 2,000 crore by Mar 31. With the deadline to disburse the Rabi loans ending in Mar 31, till now the government has been able to provide Rs 3000 crore as it remains doubtful as to how it will be able to pay the balance of Rs 2000 crore within such a short span of time. Amid such a scenario, Rout said some banks have been asked to give clarification on failing to meet their targets. Data shows that a minimum of 29 per cent of crop loans have been extended in Gajapati followed by 37 per cent in Nuapara while 39 per cent loans have been disbursed in Jharsuguda. On the other hand, crop losses and decline in selling prices of harvests have discouraged farmers to take loans this year.
