Interest on loans to rain-hit farmers to be written off

The State Government has announced to write off interest on loans availed by the farmers.

Replying to a debate on the farmers' issues, Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy told the House on Thursday that farmers who suffered losses in the recent floods will be exempted from paying interest on the loans taken.

This is part of their government's contribution to the farmers who were reeling under losses due to the heavy rains, he said.

The State Government has already written a letter to the Centre to declare the incessant rains and its ill-effects as a National Calamity for further securing Central funds, KKR told the House.

The input subsidy has been increased 300 times, he said, which accrues to Rs 4,500 per hectare while the Centre gives Rs 4,000 per hectare. Towards input subsidy, Rs 1,320 crore including subsidy arrears of Rs 410 crore and Rs 270 crore for repairs to infrastructure was being sanctioned by the government, the Chief Minister revealed. Similarly, Rs 10 crore for weavers, animal rearing and fishermen has been granted.

Stating that every attempt has been made to increase the Minimum Support Price to provide relief to the farmers, KKR said he prevailed upon Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar for more funds to meet the demand of the farmers.

The CCI Chairman and FCI chairman were coming to the state, including the 8-member Central team headed by Joint Secretary, Home RR Jha is arriving here to assess the crop damage in the flood-hit areas.

The Chief Minister appealed to the Opposition to join hands with the government to make concerted efforts for protecting the interests of the farmers as the 'issue' was important.

It is time that all of us join hands to restore the farmers' confidence, he said.