ABOUT US

The Jammu & Kashmir State Cooperative Agriculture and Rural Development Bank Ltd. (Previously called as Central Land Development Bank) was established on 4th of October 1962 under the provisions of J&K Cooperative Societies Act 1960 as Land Mortgage Bank. The main objective of the Bank at earlier stage was to provide loans to the farmers for redemption of Land, reclamation of land , clearing of dues to Money Lenders, Land Levelling etc., and to save the farmers of the State from the clutches of money lenders and big farmers as the rate of interest charged by them on loans was exorbitant. With the passage of time and growing need of farmers, Bank changed its lending policies for socio economic development of the farmers of the State and started providing long term and Medium Term credit/ loan to the farmers.

On the recommendations of the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development Bank (NABARD) the Bank diversified its activities and started providing loans for purposes like Farm Mechanization, Dairy Development, Horticulture , Minor irrigation, Bee keeping , Land Development . With the changing scenario of Agriculture and growing credit need of farmers in the state, the Bank from time to time incorporated more lending activities like loan for transportation of Agriculture produce from field to market / mandies. The Bank has made pioneering efforts in raising Horticulture in J&K State and has been awarded for its performance several times at National Level. The Bank has recently introduced Rural Hosing Scheme against security of Agricultural land. Other schemes like Transport / Rural Infrastructure Development in ( Education, Health, and Tourism) Cash Credit for Traders and Kissan Credit Cards are in offing in the Bank which can be introduced in near future.

The SCARDB is presently operating in the State through a network of 45 Branches functioning at all the 22 districts of the state, with its Head office at Srinagar Kashmir having two Regional Offices one each at Srinagar and Jammu and has Total Membership of more than 80,000. The Bank has provided a loan of more than Rs. 100.00 Crores in the past to the farming Community of State under Farm and Non Farm Sectors.