The State Focus Paper (SFP) for 2021-22 for the Karnataka State, prepared by National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), Karnataka Regional Office, Bengaluru, projected credit potential of ` 2,96,051 Crore for
Karnataka State, under Priority Sector Lending for the year 2021-22. This was shared by Shri Niraj Kumar Verma, CGM, NABARD during the State Credit Seminar (SCS) organized by NABARD on 24 February 2021, at Hotel Lalith Ashok, Bengaluru.
The Seminar was chaired by Shri P Ravi Kumar, IAS, Chief Secretary, Government of Karnataka and graced by Smt. Vandita Sharma, IAS, ACS and DC. While releasing the State Focus Paper, the Chief Secretary lauded the role played
NABARD in scientifically assessing the credit potential for all the districts of the State and aggregating them into State Focus Paper, which will be base document for the Banks in the State for preparing their State Credit Plans for the year 2021-22. He stressed upon enhancing agricultural productivity alongwith agriculture marketing, post-harvest management and processing. He opined that there is a need to create more storage infrastructure viz. Storage godowns, Cold storages, Farm Mechanisation etc. He also exhorted bankers to provide institutional credit to Small and Marginal Farmers through JLG mode of lending.
He invited all theStakeholders to take forward the issues and concerns flagged in State Focus Paperand firm up concrete action plans for the development and prosperity of the State. Speaking on the occasion, Smt. Vandita Sharma, IAS, ACS & DC, highlighted the joint efforts taken by NABARD and Government of Karnataka on formation and nurturing of Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) in the State. She desired that in the coming years, NABARD, Centre of Excellence (CoE) promoted by GoK and other government departments connected with the agriculture value chain, Agri Startups, KVKs, Agriculture University may bring transformation in operation of FPOs and make it as a Movement across the State. There is a need to provide handholding support to FPOs.
She also emphasized that banks should issue KCCs to PM KISAN scheme beneficiaries as also KCCs for Animal Husbandry and Fisheries sectors. She advised banks to focus on Atmanirbhar schemes and finance under Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF), Prime Minister Formalisation of Micro Food Enterprises (PMFME) scheme and PM Matsya Sampada Yojana. She called upon banks to popularize integration of FRUITS portal of the State government. Agriculture and allied sectors should get a huge boost in order to enhance farmers’
income.
The seminar had participation of Senior Level Officials viz., Shri Rakesh Singh, IAS, ACS, Water Resources Department, Shri Tushar Giri Nath, IAS, Principal Secretary, Cooperation Department, Shri S Ziyaullah, IAS, RCS, Shri Abhijit Majumdar, CGM, SBI, Dr. M V Venkatesh, IAS, Commissioner, Watershed Development Department,
Dr. Rajendra Prasad, VC, UAS, Bengaluru and senior bankers and State government
officials.
Out of the total projection of ` 2,96,051 Crore, agriculture constitutes ` 1,45,213 Crore, which is of 49% of the total projection. Similarly, MSME Sector constitutes ` 1,08,509 Crore, which is of 37% of the total projection. Shri Niraj Kumar Verma, CGM, NABARD stressed on the credit flow by banks for Priority sector with focus on Agriculture term lending and projects under Agriculture Infrastructure Fund and PM FME Scheme.