Kerala to submit report on farmers loan waiver today

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala Government would submit to the Centre by this evening the tentative estimated loan amount required to be waived in the state under the farmer's loan waiver scheme, Finance Minister T M Thomas Issac told the state Assembly on Friday.

Today was the last date set by the Centre to submit the tentative amount for waiver and the government had already taken necessary steps to prepare the report, he said while replying to a submission by K C Joseph (Congress).

The state would also ask the Centre to include under the waiver scheme loans to the tune of Rs 3,000 crore rescheduled by the cooperative banks in the state last month.

Leader of the Opposition Oommen Chandy said farmers of the state would be disadvantaged as most of the loans have been re-scheduled by the co-operative banks in February last. So, they would be treated as new loans. The waiver scheme announced by the Centre would be applicable only to loans outstanding as on Decemebr last.

Joseph also wanted the government to take up with the Centre the issue connected with loans re-scheduled by co-operative banks in the state.

He complained that the government had not submitted the report to centre on matters concered with loan waiver even though the last date for submitting the report was today.

The state would be at loss if the government failed to submit the report by today, he added.