India, Nov. 11 -- Telangana Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka has urged banks to restructure or reschedule crop loans of eligible farmers in drought-affected areas in accordance with Reserve Bank of India (RBI) guidelines and ensure timely disbursement of fresh loans for the Rabi season.

Speaking at the State Level Bankers' Committee (SLBC) meeting on Tuesday (November 10), he asked banks to expedite the sanction of Rs 38,268 crore in crop loans earmarked for the Rabi season. He said bankers at the field level should take the initiative to prevent delays in loan disbursement.

The state government expressed concern that only 53 per cent of the overall agricultural credit target of Rs 96,943 crore had been...