Farm loan waiver one-time policy: Pawar
Sharad Pawar on Saturday said the government will consider relaxing the cap of five acres to extend the benefit to bigger land holders in drought-prone areas.
By PTI |
MAHARASHTRA: Making it clear that waiver of farmer loans will not become a regular policy, Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar on Saturday said the government will consider relaxing the cap of five acres to extend the benefit to bigger land holders in drought-prone areas.
Addressing a farmers rally here in Central Maharashtra, he said, "The loan waiver is only a one-time measure. Otherwise, the banks as well as the government will go bankrupt".
At the same time, he said, considering the plight of farmers in drought prone areas in Maharashtra's Marathwada region, who have more than five acres of land, government will consider relaxing the pre-condition to extend the sop to them.
The government will consider a cut in the interest rate for those farmers who have been repaying bank loans regularly, Pawar said. "The ones who have been repaying their loans regularly must also be rewarded."
Referring to the criticism by Opposition that the over Rs 60,000 crore loan waiver might not benefit Maharashtra much, Pawar said state's farmers will get benefit to the extent of Rs 10,061 crore under the ambitious debt relief package.
He took a dig at Shiv Sena, which had recently launched agitations for loan waiver, saying, "These are the Bandra- based farmers." Bandra is a Mumbai suburb where Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray resides.
The Nationalist Congress Party chief praised Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for the loan waiver scheme, saying "the Prime Minister has realised that unless we invest in farming, the situation will not change."
Addressing a farmers rally here in Central Maharashtra, he said, "The loan waiver is only a one-time measure. Otherwise, the banks as well as the government will go bankrupt".
At the same time, he said, considering the plight of farmers in drought prone areas in Maharashtra's Marathwada region, who have more than five acres of land, government will consider relaxing the pre-condition to extend the sop to them.
The government will consider a cut in the interest rate for those farmers who have been repaying bank loans regularly, Pawar said. "The ones who have been repaying their loans regularly must also be rewarded."
Referring to the criticism by Opposition that the over Rs 60,000 crore loan waiver might not benefit Maharashtra much, Pawar said state's farmers will get benefit to the extent of Rs 10,061 crore under the ambitious debt relief package.
He took a dig at Shiv Sena, which had recently launched agitations for loan waiver, saying, "These are the Bandra- based farmers." Bandra is a Mumbai suburb where Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray resides.
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The Nationalist Congress Party chief praised Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for the loan waiver scheme, saying "the Prime Minister has realised that unless we invest in farming, the situation will not change."
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