CHENNAI: Minister for Cooperative KR Periakaruppan informed the Assembly that the government has provided over Rs 14,000 crore as crop loans against Rs 6,000 crore during the AIADMK-led government.
He was responding to the allegation of former minister Sellur K Raju during the budget discussions that the current government is not providing enough crop loans. Dismissing the claims, the minister said the DMK government has surpassed the efforts of the previous administration.
He pointed out that, while the AIADMK-led government provided Rs 6,000 crore in crop loans on an average annually, the current DMK government has consistently exceeded Rs 10,000 crores.
“For the ongoing fiscal year, the government had earmarked Rs 16,500 crore for crop loans, and as of now, over Rs 14,000 crore have been disbursed to support farmers,” he said.
‘Rs 26 crore loans given’
Chennai: Cooperative banks have disbursed loans of Rs 26.21 crore at subsidized interest rates from 4% to 6% to 15,471 small traders across eight flood-hit districts. Periyakaruppan said the department has distributed the loan until February 17.