Question : LOANS TO FARMERS

:

(a) whether banks in the country are not showing much interest in giving loans in rural areas ;

(b) if so, the reasons therefor ;

(c) the amount of loan provided by the banks to farmers in various States during the last three years and till date ;

(d) the State-wise percentage of amount of loan provided to the farmers as against the national level figures during the above period ;

(e) the State-wise number of applications received from the farmers for providing loan during the said period ;

(f) (he number of applications still pending out of them; and

(g) the steps taken for earlier clearance of these applications ?

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE (SHRI GINGEE N. RAMACHANDRAN)

(a) and (b) No, Sir. Banks are lending to agriculture sector. In fact their advances to agriculture sector have been increasing as indicated below for the last three years :

Year	Amount Outstanding	(Rs. Crores)
March, 1998	35777.32
March, 1999	41210.82
March, 2000	49433.56