CS Calls for Major Push to Agricultural Credit Schemes Across J&K
Reviews District-Wise Performance of KCC, AIF, PMFME, HADP Credit and Other Flagship Schemes
Srinagar, June 5 (PTK): Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo on Thursday called for ambitious implementation of agricultural credit schemes across Jammu and Kashmir, emphasizing that accessible and affordable financing is key to unlocking the full potential of the agriculture and allied sectors.
The directions were issued during a review meeting of the Agriculture Production Department (APD) convened to assess the progress and implementation of various credit-linked schemes across the Union Territory.
The meeting was attended by Additional Chief Secretary, Agriculture Production Department, Dr. Ashish Chandra Verma; Managing Director HADP; Directors of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, Horticulture and Fisheries from both Jammu and Kashmir divisions, while Deputy Commissioners participated through virtual mode.
Reviewing the performance of different agricultural financing schemes, the Chief Secretary stressed the need for greater coordination between district administrations, banks and concerned departments to ensure that eligible farmers, entrepreneurs and producer groups derive maximum benefit from available credit facilities.
Highlighting the importance of the Kisan Credit Card (KCC) Scheme, Dulloo directed officials to achieve saturation coverage, ensure timely renewal of accounts and facilitate prompt disbursement of repayment incentives to eligible farmers.
He also called for extensive awareness campaigns regarding incentives available under the scheme so that farmers can fully utilize its benefits.
The Chief Secretary directed authorities to expedite onboarding under the Unified Lending Interface (ULI) in areas where digitization of land records has been completed and stressed the need to keep records updated alongside the ongoing Farmer ID generation process.
Emphasizing the role of Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) in strengthening rural economies, Dulloo called for systematic capacity building of FPOs to make them financially sustainable and credit-worthy. He directed the department to assign mentors for handholding and guiding FPOs in improving productivity and meeting banking requirements.
The Chief Secretary reviewed district-wise performance under various schemes and urged districts lagging behind to undertake focused interventions to improve outcomes.
He also sought activity-wise data from banks regarding agricultural sectors attracting maximum credit demand and suggested exploring the inclusion of such activities under the Mission YUVA framework.
Speaking during the meeting, Additional Chief Secretary APD, Dr. Ashish Chandra Verma, presented a comprehensive overview of Jammu and Kashmir’s agricultural credit ecosystem, highlighting achievements, challenges and future strategies.
The meeting was informed that Jammu and Kashmir currently has around 11.57 lakh active KCC account holders, of whom nearly 3.5 lakh farmers availed prompt repayment incentives during the previous financial year.
Officials further informed that 7.99 lakh beneficiaries have been issued smart cards, while 41 percent coverage under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) was achieved during the Kharif season.
The review also covered progress under major schemes including the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF), Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund (AHIDF), PM Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME), HADP Credit, JKCIP Credit, National Livestock Mission (NLM) and PM-KISAN.
Under the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund, loans worth ₹680 crore have been sanctioned, while ₹431 crore has been disbursed among 392 beneficiaries across Jammu and Kashmir.
Similarly, under PMFME, 545 cases involving disbursement of ₹22 crore were reported during 2024-25.
Under HADP Credit, loans amounting to ₹302.78 crore have been sanctioned, of which ₹172.69 crore has been disbursed till May 2026.
Regarding the National Livestock Mission, officials informed that 132 applications had been received, with 65 cases currently under processing and 27 cases involving financial assistance of ₹12.23 crore approved by the Central Executive Committee.
The meeting also reviewed FPO financing, under which credit worth ₹604 crore has been sanctioned to 67 FPOs, while ₹425 crore has been disbursed among 54 FPOs across the Union Territory.
On the PM-KISAN scheme, officials informed that Jammu and Kashmir currently has around 9.16 lakh active beneficiaries, while land seeding, NPCI integration and e-KYC pendencies are being addressed on priority.
The meeting was further informed that the upcoming “Khet Bachao Abhiyan” would be extensively used as a platform to reach farmers in every village and create awareness about various agricultural credit schemes and initiatives aimed at strengthening the agriculture sector.(PTK)
