Loan in 3 PC rate of interest starts in Chhattisgarh

            Raipur, Sept 2, 2008: Chhattisgarh has become the first state in the entire country to provide loan to its farmers with lowest ever three per cent rate of interest.

            “We have a plan to provide Rs 800 crore loan to farmers this year with 3 per cent rate of interest and to achieve that target the new interest policy has already been implemented in the state,” Cooperative Department officials said here today.

            After a high level meeting of the Department to clear the new policy, the officials        today clarified that the new rate of interest would be applicable with effect from April 1, last.

            While unfurling the Tri Colour at the historic Police Parade Ground, the Chief Minister Dr Raman Singh had announced on the Independence Day, to reduce the rate of interest for farmers to three per cent

            Later talking to media, Singh had stated that the three per cent rate of interest was even one per cent less than what BJP had officially declared at the national level and actually it was the lowest ever rate of interest offered by any state to the farmers.

            This was the fourth occasion of reducing the rate of interest after Singh came to power on December 7, 2003.

            At the time of unseating of Congress the rate of interest was 14 per cent and after becoming  Chief Minister Singh made that to nine per cent in 2004.

            However, in 2006 the rate of interest was made seven per cent and that was reduced to one more per cent in 2007, and finally came down to three per cent just ahead of the state assembly election.