CM holds meet to ensure KCC for more farmers

Kolkata: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee held a high-level meeting at Nabanna on Wednesday to ensure that more farmers get Kishan Credit Card (KCC). The matter of providing proper financial support to the existing KCC holders and self-help groups has also been discussed in the meeting.

Amit Mitra, the state Finance minister, Subrata Mukherjee, the state Panchayat and Rural Development minister, Sadhan Pandey, Ashis Banerjee, the state Agriculture minister, Pradip Majumdar, the agriculture advisor to the Chief Minister and senior officials of all the concerned departments were present in the meeting. Members of the State Level Bankers' Committee also attended the meeting.

Sources said that the Chief Minister has directed officials of all the concerned departments to take necessary steps so that KCC is given to all farmers.

It has been learnt that direction has also been given to give more stress for distribution of KCC at the places where 40 to 50 percent farmers are yet to get the same. Moreover, besides distributing KCC to more farmers, it has also been directed to take necessary measures so that the existing card holders do not face any trouble in getting loans.

It was in November when senior officials of the state Agriculture department held meeting with SLBC representatives and were urged to take necessary steps to ensure that farmers get loans at the right time. The SLBC representatives held an internal meeting after discussing the issues with senior state government officials.

Till November, KCC was given to around 70 lakh farmers. Initiative had to be taken to ensure that card holders get loans at the right time. Similar steps will be taken to provide financial support to the self-help groups.

The concerned departments that mainly work for development of the rural economy, had been working with proper coordination. The presence of officials of all concerned departments in Wednesday's meeting will be helpful in ensuring fast completion of the tasks.

It may be mentioned that a coordination meeting was also held at Nabanna Sabhaghar in early November between agriculture and allied departments.