<h1>Government Allocates Rs. 45,000 Crore Fund via NABARD for Cooperative Banks' Short-Term Refinance to Aid Farmers.</h1> The government has established the Short Term Cooperative Rural Credit (Refinance) Fund within the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) to provide concessional short-term refinance to Cooperative Banks. This fund, sourced from the shortfall in priority sector lending targets by commercial banks, has been allocated Rs. 45,000 crore for 2016-17. By September 30, 2016, NABARD had disbursed Rs. 24,000 crore and is authorized to distribute the remaining Rs. 21,000 crore as concessional refinance to State Cooperative Banks. This initiative aims to support District Central Cooperative Banks in meeting farmers' crop loan needs.