Srinagar, Jun 5 (NVI): Jammu and Kashmir Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo on Friday called for ambitious implementation of agricultural credit schemes across the Union Territory, stressing that easy access to finance is key to unlocking the potential of the agriculture and allied sectors.
Chairing a review meeting of the Agriculture Production Department (APD), Dulloo assessed the district-wise progress of major credit-linked schemes, including the Kisan Credit Card (KCC), Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF), PM Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME), Holistic Agriculture Development Programme (HADP) Credit and other flagship initiatives.
He said district administrations and banks should work with greater commitment to ensure that eligible farmers, entrepreneurs and producer groups derive maximum benefits from the schemes.
The chief secretary emphasized saturation of KCC coverage, timely renewal of accounts and prompt disbursement of repayment incentives to eligible farmers. He also directed authorities to intensify awareness campaigns so that farmers are fully informed about the benefits and eligibility conditions under the scheme.
Dulloo further asked officials to expedite onboarding under the Unified Lending Interface (ULI) in areas where land records have been digitised and ensure that records remain updated alongside the generation of Farmer IDs.
Highlighting the role of Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) in strengthening rural economies, he called for systematic capacity building and mentoring support to make them financially sustainable and credit-worthy.
According to official figures presented during the meeting, Jammu and Kashmir currently has around 11.57 lakh active KCC account holders, with nearly 3.5 lakh farmers availing prompt repayment incentives during the previous financial year. About 7.99 lakh beneficiaries have been issued smart cards, while PM Fasal Bima Yojana coverage reached 41 per cent during the Kharif season.
Officials informed the meeting that loans worth Rs 680 crore have been sanctioned under the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund, with Rs 431 crore disbursed among 392 beneficiaries.
Under PMFME, 545 cases involving disbursement of Rs 22 crore were reported during 2024-25, while loans amounting to Rs 302.78 crore have been sanctioned under HADP Credit, of which Rs 172.69 crore has been disbursed till May 2026.
The meeting was also told that credit worth Rs 604 crore has been sanctioned to 67 FPOs, while Rs 425 crore has been disbursed among 54 FPOs across the Union Territory.
Reviewing the PM-KISAN scheme, officials said Jammu and Kashmir has around 9.16 lakh active beneficiaries and that pending issues related to land seeding, NPCI linkage and e-KYC are being addressed on priority.
Additional Chief Secretary, APD, Dr. Ashish Chandra Verma, presented an overview of the agricultural credit ecosystem in the Union Territory and outlined measures for achieving targeted outcomes.
Officials also informed the meeting that the upcoming “Khet Bachao Abhiyan” would be utilised to spread awareness about agricultural credit schemes and other initiatives aimed at strengthening the farm sector across Jammu and Kashmir.(NVI)
