Chandigarh: Punjab Rural Development and Panchayat Minister Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa today invited Nabard and other banks to come forward to help farming sector.   During a state level function of Nabard here today, the minister said it should come forward to provide loan at lower rates to the farming sector.   

A release quoting minister said the bank has an important part in providing loans for farming sector but lot of work needs to be done in this regard.   During his speech Bajwa said Nabard lowered the overall credit limit of the self-help groups from Rs 6,440 crore to Rs 4,140 crore, which needed to be increased.   

He further pitched for providing crop loan at lower rates. He also sought National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development's help in addressing the problem of stubble burning. Bajwa released the State Focus Paper for the year 2018-19 prepared by the bank.   

Nabard has projected a credit potential of Rs 2,18,000 crore during 2018-19 in the state under priority sector. This represents a growth of 10 percent over the projections of 2016-17 of the aggregate credit potential of Rs 1,98,737 crore, the release said. PTI