Burdwan district extends KCC facilities to 4.82 lakh farmers

Burdwan( WB), Feb 20. Burdwan, considered the rice bowl of Bengal, is probably the first district in the country to provide credit facilities through Kisan Credit Cards (KCC) to 4.82 lakh farmers, a top district official said today. Against a target of giving 4.7 lakh Kisan Credit Cards to the farmers, the district administration has already succeeded in extending credit facilities through KCC to 4.82 lakh, Burdwan District Magistrate Saumitra Mohan told PTI. He said probably no other district in the country have such a large number (4.82 lakh) of farmers been provided credit facilities through KCC. The agri-based district is regarded as the rice bowl of Bengal producing the largest amount of paddy. The district administration held regular and rigorous meetings with all the stakeholders which made a positive difference, the DM said adding this feat was achieved mostly during the last two years. "We are now planning to have mobile camps throughout the district to further help the needy farmers to better access the credit facilities," Mohan said. A helpline number is also planned to be introduced soon for providing KCC on demand.