Chandigarh: The Punjab government is preparing a relief scheme for farmers who have defaulted on loans taken from rural cooperative societies and, as a result, lost access to fresh crop credit.
According to sources, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann is expected to announce a new initiative aimed at helping such farmers regain eligibility for seasonal agricultural loans. The proposed scheme is understood to be in its final stages of preparation.
Under the existing system, cooperative banks and societies provide crop loans of around ₹25,000 per acre per season to farmers for purchasing seeds, fertilizers and other agricultural inputs. These loans are required to be repaid after each crop cycle.
Farmers who fail to repay their loans after the rabi or kharif season are classified as defaulters and become ineligible for fresh crop loans in subsequent seasons. This often creates financial difficulties and affects their ability to continue farming operations.
The state government is now considering measures to ease the burden on such farmers and help them re-enter the institutional credit system. The proposed scheme is expected to make it easier for defaulting farmers to access crop loans again and continue agricultural activities without disruption.
An official announcement regarding the scheme is expected in the coming days.
