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Major Relief Announced for Farmers in Drought-Hit Taluks in Repayment of Bank Loans
Bengaluru, September 16 (Karnataka Information):
The State Level Bankers’ Committee (SLBC), coming to the aid of farmers in drought-hit taluks of the State, has announced a special relief package for the repayment of agricultural and allied sector loans.
As part of the relief measures, farmers will be provided a 12 months moratorium on loan repayment. The overall repayment period will also be extended to provide further relief to farmers.
These key decisions have been taken in accordance with the proceedings of the meeting of the Chief Secretary to the Government of Karnataka.
Classification of Drought-Hit Taluks
The State Government has declared a total of 101 taluks in 24 districts as drought-hit. Of these, 89 taluks have been classified as severely drought-hit, while 12 taluks have been classified as moderately drought-hit.
Extension of Loan Repayment Period
A 12 months moratorium will be provided for Kisan Credit Card (KCC) loans, agricultural loans and allied agricultural loans, including loans for dairy farming, sericulture and fisheries.
The loan repayment period has been extended to 36 months (three years) in moderately drought-hit taluks and 60 months (five years) in severely drought-hit taluks.
Provision of Fresh Loans
The relief measures are not limited to deferment of repayment of existing loans. Banks will also provide fresh loans as per their rules and regulations, based on the urgent requirements of farmers.
Automatic Applicability in Future
If the Government declares any additional taluks as drought-hit in the future, the relief framework will be automatically applicable to such taluks without the need for a separate SLBC meeting.
Implementation and Timeline
Implementation of Relief Package:
The relief package will be implemented by October 11, 2026, within 45 days of the declaration of drought.
Completion of the Entire Process:
Banks have been instructed to complete the entire relief process by January 9, 2027, within 135 days.
Canara Bank (SLBC) will upload the final proceedings of the SLBC meeting on the concerned portals by September 26, 2026.
Strict Instructions and Awareness Measures
Ban on Forced Recovery:
A strict ‘Zero Tolerance’ policy has been put in place to prevent any form of forced loan recovery from farmers during the current year. The district administration has been instructed to respond immediately to complaints received from farmers and to contact the concerned banks before initiating any recovery proceedings.
Direct Awareness among Farmers:
Deputy Commissioners (DCs), Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) and Lead District Managers (LDMs), along with Secretaries of the Departments of Agriculture, Horticulture, Animal Husbandry and Disaster Management, will conduct meetings through video conference to ensure that information about the relief measures reaches farmers.
Credit Facilities through Cooperative Sector:
Chief Secretary to the Government of Karnataka has stated in a release that discussions will be held with NABARD and at the State Government level regarding the extension of the loan repayment period for cooperative banks and an appropriate relief measure will be formulated shortly.
