‘Loan waiver from other banks will be weighed’

Jaipur: Cooperatives minister Ajay Singh Kilak claimed that it is for the first time that Rajasthan government announced farm loan waivers.
Replying to a question, Kilak said the demand for farm loan waiver to a certain limit from all banks will be considered by an inter-departmental committee constituted for the purpose. The minister was replying to a question by Independent legislator Nand Kishore Meharia.
He said, the committee would consider the categorization, the limit of debt relief, types and process to be adopted comes under the purview of the newly constituted Rajasthan State Farmer Debt Relief Commission.
Meanwhile, PCC president Sachin Pilot accused the chief minister of misleading the House while replying to the budget debate. Pilot said, the chief minister claimed that no government in the past had waived off farmers loans.
He said, the whole country knows that during UPA government the loan of farmers from across the country was waived off to address farmers redress.
The chief minister in the state budget had announced to waive of loans up to Rs 50,000 taken from cooperative banks by small and marginal farmers. It would benefit 20 lakh farmers with an expenditure of Rs 8000, the government had claimed.
The minister clarified the conditions for inclusion of any non- banking institutions or other banks in the in the scheme would be decided by this committee. He said the committee would take an impartial decision and no injustice would be done to any farmers.
The minister clarified that for the procurement of agriculture produce at the MSP 232 centres have been set up in the state which was only 131 under the previous regime. He said if there is demand for more centres it would be considered.