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      | Patna, (Bihar Times): Bihar would not be benefited much by the waiving
        of farmers’ loans. Hours after the presentation of budget in Parliament
    Bihar’s agriculture minister told the state assembly
    that loans worth Rs 800 crore of Bihar farmers would
    be waived against the total national figure of Rs
    60,000 crore. Thus the share of Bihari farmers who
    have taken loan from the banks is just 1.33 per cent.
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 As most of the farmers to be benefited belong to
    western and southern states where banking institutions are prompt in credit  delivery to the farmers particularly for the cash crop cultivation. Interestingly, ninety percent population of the state is  dependent on agriculture and credit deposit ratio for rural Bihar is about 24  percent, one of the lowest in the country. The most ruralised state wouldn’t  have much effect of the historical loan waiver scheme for farmers announced in  the recent budget. “The attitude of Banks towards farmers is mainly  responsible for low credit deposit ratio in Bihar” admitted the agriculture  minister. So whole agriculture credit system is dependent on private  moneylenders who charge exorbitant ten to fifteen percent interest per month.  The insurance coverage is only for three percent of the farmers and that is  mostly for those who have taken some agriculture loan from the bank.
 “Recently distributed input subsidy in flood affected  areas was a better targeting for helping farmers than simply waiving the loans.  Small and marginal farmers never visit banks for agriculture loan at least in  rural Bihar” expressing is anguish narrated Rajesh Nandan a young farmer from  Samartha village of Samastipur.” Its simply a political gimmick  and it won’t help in changing the face of rual  Bihar at least.” he further added.
   comments... 
   I   don’t understand the budget . Someone please explain it to me . This budget is   said to be helping poor with so many means and one of them is waving off the   60,000 crores loans . This loan amount waiver will benefit the poor and   everybody knows many people in Bihar are poor . Still from this loan waiver ,   Bihar is only getting 1.33 % . How come ? FM is saying it is going to poor and   poorest state is not benefited out of it ??? This is ridicules .  I request FM   to review his stand and find out some better ways to help poor which will really   reach to the needy person . 
     
     
     Sanjay   Kumar sanjay.kumar@oman-pp.com |