Interest subvention scheme to include private sector commercial banks

Acknowledging that the large farming community had delivered despite difficult conditions, Finance Minister P Chidambaram said it was due to them that agriculture had continued to perform well. "The average annual growth rate of agriculture and allied sectors during the 11th Plan (2007-12) was 3.6 per cent against 2.5 per cent and 2.4 per cent in the 9th and 10th Plans, respectively. In 2012-13, total foodgrain production will be over 250 million tonnes. Farmers have responded to the price signals and produced more," he said.