Srinagar, Dec 11: To streamline credit facilities for farmers, the Jammu and Kashmir government plans to distribute smart cards, simplifying the credit system.
Director Agriculture Kashmir, Chowdhary Mohammad Iqbal said the Agriculture Department processes Kisan Credit Cards and now the farmers will now get smart cards.
“All Kisan Credit Cards that have been issued by the Jammu and Kashmir Bank will now issue smart cards of the same so that they do not need to visit banks again and again,” he said. He said the smart cards will improve the purchase of manure and equipment of farmers.
The agriculture department has given instructions to the J&K Bank authorities and they are trying that all the farmers get their smart cards.
The director said this forward-looking initiative aims to simplify and expedite the process, ensuring that farmers can access credit without unnecessary hassles.
“The smart cards will serve as a convenient mechanism, providing farmers with easy access to financial resources, fostering agricultural growth, and supporting rural economies. The introduction of smart cards will bring tangible benefits to the farming community and promote streamlined and accessible credit system,” he said.
Notably, the government has directed to issue Smart Card for agricultural credit beneficiaries, aligning with guidelines set by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
“The move of smart cards will help farmers 100 percent and simplify financial processes and strengthen the credit system for farmers. This will also end the hurdles and enhance the overall efficiency of credit disbursement,” the director said.
The Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN), a Central Sector Scheme, aims at providing financial assistance to all cultivable landholding farmer families across the country, subject to certain exclusion criteria.
Agriculture officials said under the scheme, Rs 6000 is transferred annually in three equal installments of Rs 2000 directly into the Aadhaar Seeded bank accounts of the farmers.
The Kisan Credit Card scheme aims at providing adequate and timely credit support from the banking system under a single window with flexible and simplified procedures to the farmers for their cultivation and other needs.
