Naducooperative minister IPeriyasamy said the government had set a target to disburse Rs 11,500 crore loans to farmers through Cooperative banks during this fiscal.
The government had also plans to increase the share of cooperative banks loan disbursement to farmers from the present 9.5% to 22-25% in the next five years.
Periyasamy said Cooperative Societies had enrolled 2.3 lakh new members after the DMK government assumed office. It also disbursed Rs 120 crore loans to the new members. He added that Rs 80 crore had been extended as loans to farmers to take up kuruvai cultivation in the delta districts. It was more than double the amount (Rs 37 crore) disbursed during last year kuruvai cultivation, he said. The CM has made it clear that new members should be given loans, he said. He recalled how the DMK government underM Karunanidhirevived the cooperative banks by waiving farmers loans to the tune of Rs 7,000 crore.