SRINAGAR: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Friday chaired a high-level meeting to review the implementation of agricultural credit schemes by banking and financial institutions for the Holistic Agriculture Development Program (HADP).
The Lt Governor directed bank officials and administrative officers to ensure seamless coordination at the district level for the effective implementation of the Holistic Agriculture Development Program. He emphasized the need for 100 percent saturation of benefits under the Kisan Credit Card and other central and UT schemes in the agriculture and allied sectors.
Furthermore, the Lt Governor instructed the bank officials to appoint a Nodal Officer for both Jammu and Kashmir Divisions to monitor the cases received by banks under the HADP and other schemes in the agriculture and allied sectors.
The implementation of HADP should prioritize small and marginal farmers. The Deputy Commissioners were urged to transform Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) into engines of growth, and districts were encouraged to compete in creating success stories with such organizations, as stated by the Lt Governor.
The Lt Governor highlighted that the 29 projects worth Rs. 5013 crore under the Holistic Agriculture Development Program (HADP) will have a transformative impact on the agricultural economy of J&K.
He also sought valuable inputs from bank officials and emphasized the need for them to encourage other stakeholders to complement the government’s efforts in improving farmers’ access to institutional sources of credit and further strengthening the agriculture and allied sector.
The Lt Governor also reviewed the actions taken based on the directives issued in previous meetings involving public sector banks, administrative departments, and other financial institutions.
Bank officers were directed to simplify and streamline the processes for extending credit and financial assistance services to farmers.
Atal Dulloo, Additional Chief Secretary of the Agriculture Production Department, provided a detailed briefing on credit extension for the implementation of schemes in the agriculture and allied sectors.
Dr Mandeep Kumar Bhandari, Principal Secretary to the Lt Governor, Baldev Prakash, MD & CEO of J&K Bank, Deputy Commissioners, heads and representatives of different banks, financial institutions, and other senior officers of the UT administration attended the meeting at the Civil Secretariat. (KNO)
