K'taka keeps up Budget promise on farm loans

Bangalore, May 5 (UNI) The Karnataka Government will issue an order today, directing the cooperative sector to provide agriculture loans to farmers at four per cent, as promised in the Budget for 2006-07.

Informing this to reporters here, Deputy Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa said Karnataka was the first state in the country to provide farm loans at such a low rate.

He said that the government had also extended the period for waiver of interest on Agriculture loans up to May 31.

Mr Yediyurappa informed that the government would also issue orders for the implementation of 48 new schemes, announced in the Budget, before June 30.

The Bhagyalaxmi scheme, under which Rs 10,000 would be given to girl child born in BPL families, would be implemented soon by signing a Memorandum of Understanding with an insurance company, he said.

He said for the development of religious places Basava Kalyan and Kaginele Gurupeeth, the government had released Rs 20 crore and Rs three crore respectively.

Earlier, Mr Yediyurappa held a meeting with the officials concerned regarding implementation of new schemes announced in the Budget.

UNI SIV RG HVB1738