Odisha‘s Balaram scheme for landless farmers

(image source :www.twaku.com)

Highlights:

What is Balaram Scheme?

How the Scheme works?

Benefits of the scheme 

It’s a kind of First credit scheme exclusively launched for the landless farmers by the state. Landless farmers are the one who don’t have their own land they work in others lands for daily wages. So in this blog I will give an overview of this scheme.

What is Balaram scheme?

It’s a state government scheme launched by the Odisha government for the benefits of landless farmers who were facing problems because of this virus outbreak. It’s a credit based crop loan scheme were 7 lakh landless farmers in next two years will get benefit of Rs.1040 crore. Through joint liability group (JLG) i.e., in groups. 

(Representative image :financial express.com)

How the scheme works?

* The beneficiary under this scheme will be identified by Krushak Sathis who were appointed in each panchayats. Group of 4- 5 landless farmers will form a group (JLG) and they will be trained and educated by NABARD as this scheme was designed in collaboration with NABARD.

* The Institute on Management of Agricultural Extension (IMAGE) at the state level and ATMA (Agriculture Technology Management Agency) at the district level will act as nodal agency for this scheme.

* Around 7000 banks branches and the PACS (Primary Agriculture cooperative societies) in the state will be involved in providing credits to the joint liability groups (JLG) it is targeted that each bank should finance to 10 JLGs at least in a year.

* In this way under the collaboration of NABARD this scheme will be implemented throughout the state.

*The eligibility criteria mentioned by the government were:

- Applicant must be resident of Odisha

- He must be farmer and must not own any land.

Benefits of the scheme:

* Before this scheme group of farmers were given max of Rs.50000 by the cooperative banks which was insufficient amount when comes to individual farmers but now they can get max of 1.60 lakhs short term loan.

*As loan will be given to the group so they will be jointly liable for the loan and group acts as social collateral security.

* The farmers group will get training and education from the NABARD.

* The credit would be available as normal crop loan and the rate of interest rate and interest subvention will be decided by the government existing norms.   

So this is good step by the government to help the landless farmers in this situation so they can get the short term loans to start small business .If proper implementation will take place the scheme will be helpful to needy persons . Other states should also start this type of scheme to help the landless farmers in their states in this amid situation .So we can stop their migration from one place to other place. 

 (for more information visit to www.odisha.gov.in)