Centre can't waive loans of Tamil Nadu farmers alone: Pon Radhakrishnan

MADURAI: Union minister Pon Radhakrishnan today said it would not be possible to waive loans of Tamil Nadu farmers alone as the Centre has to take into account the situation in the country before deciding on the issue.

"The situation in the whole country has to be taken into account by the Central government before deciding on writing off farm loans," he told reporters at the airport here.

The Ministries of Finance, Home and Agriculture are discussing the issue, he said.

A group of farmers from the state have been protesting in the national capital for the last 20 days demanding a drought relief package of Rs 40,000 crore from the Centre and farm loan waiver.

On the truck owners association strike, demanding cut in toll fee, among other things, Radhakrishnan expressed hope that the stir would come to an end and a solution would be arrived at soon.

He said talks between truck owners and transport department associations' functionaries would be held in Hyderabad tomorrow.

Noting that the Centre had decided to extend the National Highways in the country to two lakh kms, the Minister said, the toll fee has been increased "to meet the expenditure for the expansion programme."