JOIN US'Withdraw deposits from banks denying agri loans'
Deposits of the Zilla Panchayat in banks that refuse to lend money to farmers who apply under various schemes should be withdrawn, said ZP vice-president D V Harish.
“Bank managers ill-treat farmers and are unreasonably hesitant to lend them money. The words of ZP members to stand by farmers in times of drought is thrown to the wind. It would therefore be unnecessary for the ZP to continue transactions with banks that refuse loans to farmers,” he said.
He was addressing the progress review meeting at the Zilla Panchayat auditorium on Thursday.
President Manjula and members S B Munivenkatappa, Kittappa and A M Lakshminarayana agreed with Harish.
Lead bank’s inaction
“The lead bank was informed that some banks refuse to lend money to farmers, but it has failed to take action in the matter. In fact, the most banks do not display information about the schemes of the lead bank,” Harish told the lead bank manager Reddaiah Raju. “Farmers are forced to approach middlemen if they need loans from banks, but they still get the loans only after paying commissions.”
Raju promised to take action if a formal complaint was lodged.
In response, Munivenkatappa, president of the social justice standing committee, said the matter of a farmer from Gaddekannur was brought to the notice of the bank, but no action was taken so far.
Harish suggested that a meeting of bank managers be organised in order to solve the problem.
Pumps and motors
Members expressed dissatisfaction that borewells had been sunk in villages all over the district months ago, but no motor connection had been provided yet.
“The drought continues and the level of ground water too has not risen. How can borewells prove beneficial to citizens without motors?” asked the members.
Devaraj, executive engineer of the ZP, said an action plan for Rs 2.5 crore, drawn on the basis of population of an area, has been submitted to the Deputy Commissioner. “The government has released Rs five crore under the natural disaster relief fund. Pumps will be connected to borewells immediately as the money is released,” he added.