A meeting of the officials of District Margadarshi Bank held in the city has urged the State-level Bankers Committee to ensure uniformity throughout the State, regarding waiver of interest on loans borrowed by farmers and readjusting the loans under the  calamity relief fund.
District Margadarshi Bank meeting held in the city recently discussed issues related to granting of fresh loans to farmers in this monsoon, modalities of implementing the Prime Minister relief package and the calamity relief fund.
Shimoga is one among the six districts identified in the State as hit by natural calamity and the district was included in the Prime Minister relief package for farmers on Vidarbha module. Union government had instructed the district administration to design relief programmes regarding the agrarian loans extended for ryots.
Information
Farmers who took part in the progress review meeting held at the office of Deputy Commissioner on May 4 had sought information from banks regarding relief programmes.
Accordingly, the meeting of District Margadarshi Bank was held on May 11 in which CEO of Zilla Panchayat, officials from NABARD and other banks in the district took part.
Union government had asked the banks to waiver the interest on loans which became overdue till 30 June, 2006 and promised that the Union and State governments will repay the waived amount in equal proportion. Banks in the district have claimed consolidated amount of Rs 63.42 crore from the Union and State governments.
Beneficiaries
Of the amount claimed, major part has been paid to the loan account of eligible farmers and in some cases clarification from Reserve Bank and Union government is awaited. Rs 187 crore overdue loan of 63,440 farmers in the district has been readjusted so far.
After readjustment farmers qualify for fresh loans. Rs 44.33 crore fresh loan has been extended for 7,811 farmers in the district so far.
For personal information regarding details of waived interest, readjusted loan, installments and validity, farmers can contact branch managers of the respective banks. Ryots who have availed interest waiver facility become eligible for re-adjustment of overdue loan.
New loans
The meet also discussed the possibility of furnishing details of waived interest amount and readjusted loans to farmers personally. For fresh loans in this monsoon, farmers are asked to contact the branch managers.
Regarding the loan under litigation, Union government and the Reserve Bank have clarified that banks can decide on waiving interest and loan readjustment  by consulting legal experts.