RAJSHAHI, Aug A Bangladesh Rural Development Board (BRDB) has undertaken massive programme to distribute loans amounting Taka 29 crore among its members in 82 thanas of 13 districts of the northern and southern regions of the country during the current fiscal year, official sources said

Under this programme of "Palli Daridra Samabai Proka-Ipa" (Rural Poor Cooperative Project), the Board will organise 2,448 cooperative associations with 61.200 of distressed members. The above-mentioned amount of loan will be distributed among these members through the cooperative associations.

A total of 8.000 feet of pucca irrigation drains will also be constructed in the areas of 100 cooperative association in the current fiscal year. More than 5.000 farmers will get irrigation facilities from the drains. It is expected. As a result production of crops will increase. Some employment opportunities will also be created for the farm-hands.

Meanwhile. BRDB dis-

tributed more than Taka 16.53 crore as loans in last two fiscal years in 82 thanas of 13 districts of the northern and southern regions under the same programme of Rural Poor Cooperative Project. In 1993^94. the Board disbursed Taka four crore and in 1994-95 Taka 12.50 crore as loans. These loans were distributed among «2.000 members of 3.984

Rural Poor Cooperative Societies.

It Is learnt that each cooperative society was formed by a number of poor people taking one from each family. The members of the cooperative societies were trained in different Income-generating professions like animal husbandry, poultry farming, tailoring and bumboo-trade. After training they were sanctioned loans against the concerned trades. The loans bear only a small interest.

It is to be mentioned here that any poor person can be a member of the cooperative societies formed In his/her area but widows divorcees and the women driven away by their husbands get the priority to be a member of the societies. The project

was launched in 1993 with view a to empower the poor people of the rural areas to achieve self sufficiency.

Official sources said that 67,200 feet pucca Irrigation drains have been built in last two years at a cost of Taka one crore 21 lakh. Four thousand farmers are getting irrigation facilities from these drains and an additional amount of 50 thousand maunds of crops are being '.produced every year. During the period 20 khas (government-owned) ponds were also re-excavated and are now being used for fish farming.

Meanwhile, more than Taka 7.03 crore loans of different terms were realised in last two years. The rate of loan recovery is 100 per cent. The loans were realised in instalments on a weekly basis. This is the only instance of 100 per cent loan recovery in any government loan programmes launched so far In the country. The official sources claimed. They further claimed that the project had attracted the poor people as it had already proved Its success.