The state's cooperative sector will provide financial assistance to the tune of Rs 39,300 crore under various schemes for both agriculture and non-agriculture, Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa said on Wednesday.
The programmes will aid farmers and small firms affected by the Covid-19 lockdown.
Speaking at an event held at the Vidhana Soudha, he said that loans of Rs 39,300 crore will be disbursed using the cooperative institutions in Karnataka. The funds will be under the 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' schemes, in which Rs 4,525 crore will be provided to the state for strengthening agriculture produce marketing societies. "As many as 1,549 cooperative societies will benefit in Karnataka," he said.
Using the Special Liquidity Facility, Rs 1,700 crore will be released to District Central Cooperative Banks for agricultural loans to farmers affected by Covid-19. The state, Yediyurappa said, had announced a Rs 2,272-crore package in three stages to assist those affected by the lockdown.
Portal for relief fund
Yediyurappa also launched a web portal for the Chief Minister's Relief Fund. Using the portal — cmrf.karnataka.gov.in — philanthropists can donate while people can also file applications seeking assistance under the fund. Donations can also be made using the Seva Sindhu portal.
People can view the progress of their applications online and mobile alerts will be issued when relief is debited directly to the bank accounts of beneficiaries. Under the fund, aimed primarily at BPL families or patients suffering from severe diseases, Rs 61.88 crore was released since the BJP government came to power, according to a release by the Chief Ministers' Office.