Mangalore: Farm loans worth Rs 46.36 crore has been waived in Dakshina Kannada district and as many as 24,287 farmers have been benefited from the agriculture debt waiver and debt relief schemes, said Lead Bank Manager Udaykumar Holla. Speaking at the district-level bankers review committee meeting and District Consulative meeting for banking development of the district held here on Wednesday, he said 20,626 small and marginal farmers benefited by the debt waiver scheme amounting to Rs 40.61 crore. Similarly, other farmers benefited to an extent of Rs 5.75 crore under debt relief scheme. He said banks in the district have completed the process of identification of beneficiaries under debt waiver and debt relief schemes. The list of beneficiaries is displayed on the notice board of the bank branches. Business NABARD DDM K P Udupa said banks in Dakshina Kannada district have crossed business level of Rs 17,173 crore as on March 2008, which includes deposits of Rs 10,495 crore and advances of Rs 6,678 crore. Mr Holla said under the District Credit Plan, the banks have disbursed Rs 2,427 crore during the quarter ended on March 2008 as against the annual target of Rs 2,307 crore. The banks have disbursed Rs 1,711 crore advances to priority sector. This include Rs 787 crore to agriculture, Rs 212 crore to small scale industries, Rs 712 crore to other priority sector. Banks have also lent to 59,474 farmers under Kissan Credit Card scheme, Rs 705 crore to women, Rs 741 crore to weaker sections of the society. Stating that Dakshina Kannada district is identified as minority concentration district by the Central government, Mr Holla said banks have lent to the extent of Rs 1,089 crore to minorities which constitute 16.3 per cent of the advance. This is much higher than the 6 per cent target set by the government to be achieved by 2009-10. Govt schemes Mr Holla said banks have sanctioned loans to 712 beneficiaries under Prime Minister's Rozgar Yojana (PMRY) under Backward Classes and Minorities Development Corporation schemes. Banks have sanctioned 170 cases under Chaithanya scheme and 582 cases under Swavalambana scheme, 184 cases under SC/ST Development Corporation. As many as 81 SHGs and 22 individual members are sanctioned loan to the extent of Rs 190 lakh under Swaranajayanthi Gram Swarojgar Yojana and 185 beneficiaries under micro enterprises scheme and 28 SHGs are financed under Swarna Jayanthi Shahari Rojgar Yojana (SJSRY). A total of 3,604 SHGs have been formed in the district under Sthree Shakthi programme and banks have sanctioned loans to 862 groups during the year. Moreover, 13,594 fresh SHGs were sanctioned loans amounting to Rs 104.29 crore. He informed the meeting that the government has taken a decision to close the PMRY scheme from this year. This scheme will be merged with the Khadi and Village Industries scheme and new scheme called Prime Minister Employment Generation Programme will come into force. However, the government is yet to announce the guidelines for the implementation of the scheme. ZP CEO A M Kunjappa, Syndicate Bank Deputy General Manager K U Shanbhag, RBI representative P D Ravikumar were present.