By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR: A farm loan rebate worth Rs 441.76 crore benefitting 35 lakh farmers in Odisha was on Monday announced by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. The CM Patnaik has announced the second phase of the interest discount for the year 2022-23 at a programme organised at the Convention Center of the Lok Seva Bhawan .
Cooperation Minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak , Chief Secretary PK Jena, Development Commissioner Anu Garg and Department Secretary Sanjiv Chopra were among those present.
All the cooperative banks and 2,409 primary agricultural cooperative societies of the state benefited from the discount on farm loan interest. In the first phase, an interest deduction of Rs 415.17 crore was given. In all, farmers in the state received a total interest discount of Rs 856.99 crore. It is worth noting that farmers will not have to pay any interest for crop loans up to Rs 1 lakh. Out of 35 lakh farmers, 30 lakh are small and marginal farmers.
The Chief Minister also said that a special budget has been made to empower the farmers. Interest-free agricultural loans up to Rs 1 lakh, Kalia education scholarship is being provided for the welfare of the families engaged in farming.
