Sarwaruddin, Chattogra Bureau :
Loan is essential for poor farmers to boost up productions. Despite legitimate rights of farmers for getting agri loans but complications led to harassment to farmers in every steps in achieving the goal. As a result, the poor farmers compel to go to the doors of local money lenders and NGO’s microcredit’s net . Sometimes, these ill fated farmers became ruined losing all belongings to recovery the loan payment with high interest rates.
With the great hope of productions in agri fields, farmers run to the doors of Banks. But the loan aspirants had to face sufferings and unwanted complications. In fact, the loan seeking farmers are being deprived of loan after roaming door to door of the banks or had to face severe complications. Commercial Banks including Krishi Bank unwilling to provide agri loans to farmers though provisions exists to consider loan to farmers on priority basis.
Secondly flowing the loan processing and systematic complications, majority uneducated poor farmers become feared and thirdly since submitting of loan application up to loan sanctions, all procedures are maintained in old manual method. As a result, irregularities, unfair means in every steps lead to harassments.
In this context, a time befitting easier procedures of loans provision evolved for agri and rural loans. Meanwhile Manager of Agrani Bank Limited, Chattogram Press club branch Md. Jashimuddin has evolved a easy procedures in granting agri loans under digital method. Mr. Jashimuddin is discharging responsibilities of Director of Chittagong zone for online agri and rural loan i.e. A21 which initiated by the Prime Minister’s office. Explaining the easier process of agri rural loan to The New Nation told that his evolved online loan procedures are different from existing manual method.
In this newly evolved online process, any farmer can collect current information i.e. rate of interests of agri loans from any commercial banks. This new online device, any loan aspirant may use mobile apps for filling loan applications, loan installment, rate of interests, expiry of loan etc. may also be apprised through mobile SMS.
Meanwhile it is revealed from different sufferer sources that lack of appropriate procedures, systems, norms, the remote areas farmers of the greater Chittagong are being deprived of agri loans due to negative tendency of the commercial bank officials. The services of rural agri loans are conducted through different govt projects( viz. BRDB, one home one farm project, national youth development projects) . All public and private banks and financial institutions are remain opened for borrowing agri and rural loans. Besides, different NGOs and donor agencies are also provide agri and rural loans.
The easily available information regarding loan borrowing papers and rate of interests are remain absent , for this reasons the farmers could not apply for loans on easy process . In this situation, out of more than 5 lacs farmers of 14 upazilas of Chittagong, only 25% farmers may avail agri loans and the remaining 75% farmers are deprived of this agri/rural loan. These loan deprived farmers are ignorant about the transparent ideas of applying loan application and loan owing process. Following the afraid of borrowing loans and non-cooperation of bank officials, farmers refrain from applying for loans. So the consumers had to face loan complications due to wrong applying processing and loan related enclosures. Due to delay in providing decisions for granting loans, applicants become victim of harassment. Most of the farmers are compelled to knock the doors of money lenders or micro credit dealing NGOs being deprived of bank loans. Beside the negative response of the Bank in providing loan to the farmers, lack of proper monitoring by the assigned bank officials and non-available of information on necessary required papers and rate of interests on loan, limitations for loan application from suitable places , paper processing and lack of enclosures in loan applications etc.
Evolving solutions: Banker Jashimuddin’s evolved simplified agri loan process includes – there is a online based digital proforma where process of loan application is directed.
There are update rate of interests on loans and necessary enclosures are exhibited in this software. The farmers will be able to avail agri loans through using mobile apps or assistance by UDC . Customers application will be active just after receipt of online application. To scrutinize the farmers applications, it will be deposited to respective official of upazila level. The decision of the bank for loan will be apprised to the customers through SMS.
The banks so operating in Hathazari Upazila are desiminating the informations of online agri and rural loan . Banker Jashimuddin told that this agri loan system is being implementing on experimentally in preliminary stage under pilot project. Lot of success achieved in this online process of loan. No need of monthly meeting for lead Bankin g in Hathazari.
According to respective users’ access, monthly statements are placed input. Loan disbursement , realisations and all information on certificate cases on upazila level is possible to see at a glance. As a result information of agri and rural loans of Hathazari Upazila comes under transparent and accountable. Besides, this online agri loans project is underway to introduce in other 14 upazilas of Chattogram.
Agrani Bank is now planning to introduce this online process in phases for agri and rural loans across the country.
For evolving online simplication process for agri & rural loans, Chattogram district administration honoured banker Jashimuddin with award of Creative Civic Service Implementation Officer and Appreciation letter on behalf of Hathazari upazila administration and the Water Resources Minister. These informations revealed while an exclusive interview with Mr. Jashimuddin, Agrani Bank Manager of Press club branch, Chittagong recently by this correspondent.
