Centre to announce special package for AP ryots

Hyderabad, July 26 (UNI) The Union Government will announce within 15 days a special package for peasants in Andhra Pradesh similar to the one offered for farmers in Vidarbha, State Agriculture Minister N Raghuveera Reddy said today.

Returning from New Delhi after a meeting with Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar, Mr Reddy told reporters here that the state had scaled down the package quantum from Rs 71,000 crore to Rs 51,000 crore as the Centre was for assisting only those irrigation projects for which Central Water Commission had given clearance.

Waiver of interest on past loans taken by peasants, advancement of new loans and development of watersheds would form part of the package for helping farmers prone to committing suicide due to unbearable debt burden, he added.

Meanwhile, State Level Bankers Committee (SLBC) Convenor Ramachandra Reddy said the SLBC was ready with the guidelines for implementation of ''Vidarbha-like package'' for Andhra Pradesh as and when announced by the Centre.

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