Date:06/11/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/11/06/stories/2007110651380300.htm

Tamil Nadu - Erode

Financial assistance given to farm women groups

Staff Reporter

SBI grants Rs. 26 lakh as loan to 105 members

ERODE: The State Bank of India, Kodumudi, has granted a sum of Rs. 26 lakh to farm women groups.

In Kodumudi agricultural block, 29 farm women groups are functioning. The members will propagate the agricultural development works in rural areas and also help farmers obtain crop loan and other benefits from banks.

The group members also get loans to run agriculture-oriented small industries.

Assistant director of agriculture, Kodumudi, K.S. Subramanian, recently organised a loan mela in association with the SBI, Kodumudi branch. Bank manager S. Karuppasamy said that the bank was ready to grant loans to all the farm women groups to purchase milch animals and start agro industries.

About 105 members belonging to seven groups who submitted loan applications were sanctioned a sum of Rs. 26 lakh and the amount was also disbursed.

Agricultural extension officer Kalaiselvi Loganathan explained about the functioning of the groups. Agricultural officer Mahalingam spoke.