Farmers' Loan Cards From July 8

The state government will issue a notification on June 13 to provide Loan Eligibility Cards (LECs) to over 26 lakh tenant farmers in the state, after Governor E S L Narasimhan passed the relevant Ordinance on Friday.

The beneficiaries will get bank loans, and subsidies on seeds and fertilizers, among other benefits, on producing the cards.

The relevant file has already been cleared by Revenue Minister N Raghuveera Reddy. A road map has also been fixed to supply the cited cards from July 8 to 15.

Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy will launch the issue of cards on July 8, to eligible tenant farmers either in Visakhapatnam or in the Godavari districts (East or West). Thereafter, the ministers will distribute the cards in their respective districts.

Raghuveera Reddy maintained that the hardships of tenant farmers - who currently run from pillar to post for securing loans or subsidies - would come to an end. All parties were consulted and their cooperation was sought for making the entire program a success, the Revenue Minister emphasised.

Raghuveera Reddy said that he would address all district officials, right from the Collectors to Village Revenue Officers, on June 16, and spell out instructions on how to issue the cards.

Later, Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy would also brief the district administration through a video conference, he said.

From June 18 to 20, Tahsildars, Deputy Tahsildhars, Revenue Inspectors and Village Revenue Officers will be trained on the eligibility criteria and the disbursement of the cards.

Applications from farmers will be collected from June 21 to 25, and Deputy Tahsildars and Mandal Revenue Inspectors will conduct Grama Sabhas from June 26 to July 5 to educate farmers about these cards. (INN)