PM responds to BJP State Chief's letter, agrees to meet delegates

Nagpur, June 29 (UNI) Prime Minister Manmohan singh has responded to a letter sent to him by Maharashtra BJP president Nitin Gadkari apprising him of the grave situation arising out of suicides committed by farmers in Vidarbha.

Mr Gadkari in his letter urged the Prime Minister to spare time and meet a BJP delegation of party MPs, MLAs and other senior party functionaries during his tour scheduled tomorrow in farmers suicide-prone Vidarbha region. Mr Singh has taken congizance of the letter and agreed to meet the BJP delegation, a party press release issued here today said.

The delegation wants to discuss the situation in Vidarbha with Mr Singh.

The BJP state President in his letter claimed that 592 farmers had committed suicide during one year from June 2005 to June 2006 and pointed out that Vilasrao Deshmukh government had assured financial assistance of Rs 1,00,000, but it was not given to any farmers kin.

He demanded that Mr Singh should direct the State Government to give Rs 1,00,000 - as assistance to family of each farmer who committed suicide and Centre should grant Rs 5,000 crore to the State Government to remove the irrigation backlog in Vidarbha.

He also demanded to write off the loans taken by the farmers if they paid interest equalling to the loan amount.

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