Home ›› 02 Oct 2020 ›› World Biz
The state-owned Rajshahi Krishi Unnayan Bank (RAKUB) disbursed 321.29-crore taka agriculture loans from the Prime Minister’s stimulus package fund in the country’s northwest region till September.
“We have disbursed the loan among 7,029 farmers through different branches in all 16 districts of Rajshahi and Rangpur divisions,” said AKM Sajedur Rahman Khan, Managing Director of RAKUB, on Thursday.
Bangladesh Bank has allocated 319-crore taka fund from the stimulus package, he said.
He said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina announced a new stimulus package of 5,000 crore taka in May last for farmers to boost agricultural production in the backdrop of the Covid-19 fallout.
Sajedur Khan said the money from the fund has been disbursed among small and medium-scale farmers, including those in the poultry and dairy sector, in rural areas, at five percent interest.
“Small and medium-scale farmers in rural areas received loans from the fund, and they are using the money to produce agricultural products, flowers, fruits, fish and poultry,” he added.
Apart from this, the bank has, so far, disbursed 28.29 crore taka loans among 833 borrowers to revive cottage, micro, small and medium enterprises (CMSMEs) that have been affected financially due to the Covid-19 outbreak.
The Bangladesh Bank has allocated 36 crore taka to RAKUB for the sector.
Sajedur Rahman also said loan disbursement activities to other sectors of the stimulus package announced by the premier are progressing efficiently.
“We are very much hopeful about attaining the cherished targets in these sectors within the stipulated time,” he added.
He also said the stimulus packages will ultimately contribute a lot towards recouping the losses being triggered by the Covid-19 pandemic.
In addition to the stimulus packages, the specialized commercial bank has set a target of disbursing loans worth 2,850 crore taka, recovering 2,300 crore taka and deposit collection of 1,200 crore taka during the current 2020-2021 fiscal year.
Target has been set to disburse 950cr taka for crop, 750cr taka for SME, 700cr taka for running agriculture, 50cr taka for fisheries, 100cr taka for livestock, 40cr taka for poverty reduction, 35cr taka for agro-based industries and 10 crore taka for farm machineries.
As the largest development partner in agriculture as well as agro-based industry sector of the northwest Bangladesh, currently, the bank has adopted an effective work plan which is being implemented at the grassroots level to attain all the targets within the stipulated time.
(Source: BSS)
