The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Nabard) has estimated that the new State of Telangana will have to disburse Rs 48,176 crore to the priority sector during the next financial year.
Unveiling the credit plan estimates for 2015-16 at the State credit seminar held here on Friday, Jiji Mammen, Chief General Manager, Nabard, said the new estimate was 19 per cent higher than the state credit plan for the current year.
The estimated credit potential of Rs 48,176 crore would include crop loans (short-term working capital) of Rs 25,780 crore, agricultural term loans of Rs 9,400 crore, loans to micro, small and medium enterprises at Rs 5,554 crore, and other priority sector disbursements at Rs 7,441 crore, he said.
There was an urgent need to focus on investment credit leading to capital formation in the State for sustained agricultural growth and also for bridging critical gaps in infrastructure and support services, the Nabard official added.
The storage gap of about 21 lakh tonnes for warehouses and five lakh tonnes for cold storage was projected, especially in the Mahabubnagar, Nizamabad, Khammam, and Nalgonda districts, according to Nabard.
The thrust areas for development during the next year would include minor irrigation, dairy, poultry, investment in inland fisheries, horticulture, fruit and vegetable cultivation, floriculture, and market-based commercial seed production, among others.