PM lines up Rs 3,750-cr package for Vidarbha

NAGPUR: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday announced a Rs 3,750 cr package, including an interest waiver of Rs 712 cr, for six rain-deficient districts of Vidarbha region to improve irrigation facilities and bail out the debt-ridden farmers many of whose kith and kin had committed suicides.

The package, evolved after a two-day tour of the Prime Minister during which he held discussions with the affected families besides Union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar and chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, offers complete interest waiver to farmers to the tune of Rs 712 cr, besides fresh credit flow of Rs 1275 cr in current sowing season, and rescheduling of loans worth Rs 1300 cr.

The package, aimed to benefit nearly 13 lakh farmers in the six cotton growing districts of West Vidarbha, also promises a sustained three year programme worth Rs 2,177 cr to complete 82 major, medium and minor pending irrigation projects. The completed projects are expected to irrigate 1.59 lakh hectares of land.