BALRAM (Bhoomihina Agriculturist Loan & Resources Augmentation Model) is a scheme for sharecroppers and Bhoomihina/ landless farmers of the state. Through the Odisha Balaram Yojana, the government is providing credit support and loan support for the farmers. The government of Odisha aims to benefit about 7 Lakh farmers through this scheme. For this, the government of Odisha has allotted an amount of INR 1,040 crore.
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Odisha Balaram Yojana 2023
ओडिशा सरकार द्वारा प्रक्षेपित बालाराम’ योजना के तहत, सरकार ने यह तय किया है की वह दो वर्षों में 7 लाख भूमिहीन किसानों को कृषि ऋण देंगे। इस उद्देश्य के लिए सरकार ने 1,040 करोड़ रुपये की राशि निर्धारित की है।
In this article, we will provide information about the Balaram scheme by the Odisha Government. We will discuss in detail the scheme, related benefits, eligibility criteria to become beneficiary under the scheme, key features of the scheme application process, checking status and a lot more. Check the complete article to find out more details about the yojana.
Odisha Balaram Yojana 2023- Overview
| Article Category | Scheme |
| Name of the Scheme | Odisha Balaram Yojana ଓଡିଶା ବଳରାମ ଯୋଜନା |
| Level | State Level |
| State | Odisha |
| Department | Department of Agriculture and Farmers Empowerment |
| Benefits | Loans |
| Beneficiaries | Farmers (Landless) |
| Application Status | Application to start soon |
| Application mode | Online |
| Official Website | odisha.gov.in |
Mukhyamantri Karma Tatpara Abhiyan Yojana
Balaram Yojana @odisha.gov.in
BALARAM scheme is yet another scheme by the government of Orrisa focusing on the farmers of the state. After the KALIA Yojana, it is another scheme launched by the state government for the welfare of the farmer community in Odisha. This time the CM of Odisha, Mr Naveen Pattanaik has majorly focussed upon financing sharecroppers and the landless farmers who have no share of the land. They form about 62% rural workforce of the population of Odisha.
The scheme was launched in the response to the situation of the Global Pandemic. The government aims to give credit to all the landless farmers who faced severities due to the global pandemic outbreak. Therefore, helping the farmers to move out from the economic setbacks due to covid-19. The government has launched this scheme with a vision to provide loans to all the landless farmers with are about 7 lakh under the state. The plan is to provide all of these loans under a term period of two years.
Agriculture is a major source of livelihood among the rural population of the state. But the majority of the farmers are landless workers, i.e. bhoomihin. So, they are the ones who are among the least helped people with a government scheme. In general, about 18.6% (more than 9 lakh operational landholdings) of the working landholdings are managed by these sharecroppers of the state. Thus, the government aims to provide agricultural cost support to all such farmers in the state.
Odisha Balaram Yojana – Objective
- To reduce the yoke of sharecroppers and landless farmers on the moneylenders. Thereby reducing these illegal casual credit sources.
- Unlock opportunities for the immigrated landless farmers.
- To benefit those farmers who remained untouched by the benefits of government schemes due to the lack of land.
Scheme Implementation
The government has planned to implement the scheme through different institutional structures at various levels. Thus, making sure that the credit reaches the right hand of the needy farmer. The implementation under the scheme is dependent upon the different agencies. These include:
- Nodal Agencies
- NABARD (National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development)- It will focus on educating and training about 4-5 Landless farmers through their potential building programmes. All the training of farmers will be done by the executives of NABARD.
- ATMA (Agricultural Technology Management Agency)– For this programme, ATMA is the Nodal Agency at the district level. It will provide incentives to VAWs and Krushak Sathis for their effective work.
- IMAGE (Institute on Management of Agricultural Extension) – It is the implementing agency at the state level for Odisha BALARAM Yojana.
- Krushak Sathis– Only the Krushak Sathis will be responsible for forming the JLGs and implementing the scheme at the village level. They will assist farmers concerning the loan application and timely loan repayment after the harvest sale. In addition to this. They will also put forward the needs of the farmers in a gram panchayat of the village.
- Joint Liability Groups (JLGs)- These groups will constitute 5 farmers who will be eligible for the loan under the scheme. JLGs will be formed under the guidance of the NABARD officers and the Krushak Sathis. These JLGs will be accountable for loans distribution, linking bank account of farmers, credit distribution and also loan repayment.
- Banks- Banks are the main money lending agencies under the scheme. The money will be disbursed through the 7000 branches of different PACs and banks in rural and urban areas. A target has been set to finance 10 JLG in a year by one bank.
Odisha Balaram Yojana Benefits
All these benefits will be given to the farmers who are identified as beneficiaries under the scheme. Only they will be considered for the benefits. The work constituted for identifying the beneficiaries is given to all the Krushak Sathis working at the village panchayat levels. These Krushak will identify the beneficiaries who will be awarded a return amount.
Incentives of about INR 2000 will be given to all krushak sathis for each JLG formation. This amount will be given in three tranches. INR 1000 will be given on the forming of the JLG groups. The rest amount of INR 1000, will be given in two instalments of INR 500, one on repayment and the other on refinancing.
The scheme is set up with a worth of about INR 1040 crore. Under the scheme, benefits will be provided in the form of loans. The loan will be given in the form of crop loans. The government has kept the limit of max. loan amount as 1.5- 2 lakh. The interest rate on the loan will be stated as per the norms of RBI. Any farmer group under JLG will get the benefits of a loan of INR 1.6 lakh.
This was done considering the normal credit of only 50,000 which is generally given to such farmers. It was about a sum of INR 10,000/ farmer, which was fairly meagre. So, with a new increased loan amount farmers can gain more resources.
Loans will be provided to more than 60,000 joint groups which are about 3 lakh to 3.5 lakh farmers. The loan amount of INR 1.6 lakh will be available for all 5 farmers under one group. It is estimated that more than 70000 farm groups will benefit through this scheme in the set time period of 2 years.
Key Features of the Balaram Yojana
Some of the key features of the scheme are:
- The scheme will cover all the rural and urban areas and provide credit-related benefits to about 7 lakh farmers in the sate.
- Under the scheme, various banks are pooled to disburse loans.
- This policy is as per the ‘SAMRUDHI‘ model of the Odisha Government to improve institution based credit.
- The scheme focusses on financing the JLGs. Thereby giving group loans at a lower level.
- The interest rates on these loans will be as per the norms set up by the Reserve Bank of India.
- The farmer eligibility for the loan will be based upon the CIBIL (Credit Information Bureau of India, ltd.) Score.
- Under this scheme, the Krushak sathis at the village level will function as the motivators and will also assist farmers in the whole documentation process.
- All the database related to the information about the landless farmers will be made available to krushak sathis.
- A Certificate of cultivation (COC) will be given to each farmer on the completion of field verification by the concerned VAWs/ AO.
Balaram Yojana List Odisha
All the village level workers will be the major workforce in the implementation of the scheme, through NABARD. The programme will be maintained at all levels from field to government. Also, there will be officials to monitor the implementation process at all levels. the institutional mechanism to monitor.
The officials will open the BALARAM yojana official website separately for the yojana. A list will be published then only listing down all the beneficiaries covered under the scheme. The list will be published through an online medium. So, all the beneficiaries can then check for their names on the list.
Documents Required
In this section, we will share some information related to the important documents that are essential to avail the benefits of the scheme. for you to become a beneficiary.
- Aadhar Card
- A Valid proof of Identity
- Domicile Certificate
[Apply Online] Prerana Scholarship
Odisha Balaram Yojana 2023- Eligibility Criteria
To become eligible for the scheme benefits, there are a set of criteria that is essential to fulfilling to get the benefits of the scheme.
- The farmer applying should be a landless farmer.
- The farmer applying for the scheme must be a permanent resident of Odisha state.
- He should not be the owner of any land.
Odisha Scheme- Balarama Online application
The scheme is not yet open for application but the application will start soon and will be updated accordingly. After the application is open, all the eligible farmers can apply for the scheme. To apply, you can follow these steps:
- Visit the official website of the Odisha Government.
- As soon as the application will be made open. You will see a link on the homepage of the website. Click on the ‘Apply Now‘ button available for the Balaram Yojana.
- The application form will be available on your screen.
- Fill in all the important details asked in the application form.
- Upload all the important documents as required.
- Finally, click on the ‘Submit‘ button.
BALARAM योजना की अधिक जानकारी के लिए अपनी नजदीकी ग्राम पंचायत तथा ग्राम सरपंच को संपर्क करे।
You can read some additional information about the various schemes related to agriculture and farmers. Click on the option of Agriculture & Famer’s Empowerment under Departments. Click on the option of ‘Schemes‘ and all the schemes will be available on your screen. You can also directly visit agriodisha.nic.in
Balaram Scheme Important Links
| BALARAM Scheme | Official Notification |
| Scheme Booklet | Bilingual |
| Odisha Balaram Yojana Guidleines | Official Guidelines |
FAQs
It is an agricultural scheme by the Government of Odisha to give monetary benefits to all the landless farmers of the state, who are sharecroppers and don’t possess land of their own.
Through the scheme, the government is giving benefits of loans to any five farmers under one Joint Liability Group.
NABARD is the lead nodal agency for the scheme which will work in collaboration with other agencies and organise capacity-building programmes at all levels.
Under the scheme, every Krushak Sathi will get a benefit amount of INR 2000 for each Group (JLG) formed by him.
Yes, to get the benefits of the scheme, the farmer willing to become a beneficiary must possess a domicile of Odisha.
All the eligible and willing farmers can apply for the scheme, through the portal of the Odisha government. The process is listed above in the article. Although there is no official notification on that from the higher authorities.
Under the scheme, the eligible can avail of a loan of about 1.6 lakh.
The interest rates on the loan will be charged according to the regulations set up by the RBI.
Krushak Sathis will form the JLGs and implement the scheme at the village level. They are also responsible to assist farmers with the loan application and timely loan repayment.
NABARD is the main Nodal agency responsible for the programme implementation, whereas IMAGE and ATMA will also be responsible for programme implementation at the state and the district level respectively.
If you have more queries regarding the scheme, you can comment on your question below. We will help you in the best possible way!