State can’t waive farmers’ loan

DAINIK NATION BUREAU

State Finance Minister Prakash Pant has categorically said that the state government will not go in for farm loan waiver for now, but will focus on to double the income of farmers.

His party never made such promises even at the time of elections, “But, instead we are committed to increasing the income of the farmers,” he said.
According to the government estimates, the total amount of short-term loan incurred by farmers in 13 districts of the state is nearly Rs 1,600 crore, out of which Rs 800 crore has been taken from various banks.
State government has been under pressure since the Uttar Pradesh Government announced the same in UP and the Opposition Congress was daring the BJP to do the same here. However, the government has been skirting the issue by saying that the state was already under a debt of over Rs 45,000 crore, and it will not be possible to waive the loans.

“We are already offering soft loans to the farmers, which are proving beneficial for them,” said Pant.
Further, both the state and the Centre have said that they would work towards achieving the target of doubling the income of the farmers by 2022 and several diversified activities have been launched in this regard.

We are giving impetus to horticulture and floriculture activities under the MGNREGA scheme. The Central Government is helping us in setting up cold storage in strategic areas of fruit and vegetable belts, said Pant added.
Further, he pointed out that the government had agreed to pay the arrears worth Rs 217 crore of sugarcane farmers.