Patangrao Kadam favours loan waiver for Vidarbha farmers

Pune, Nov 9 (UNI) Maharashtra Cooperation Minister Patangrao Kadam today said the only way to resolve the issue of farmers suicides in Vidarbha was to waive all loans to farmers holding 5 acres of land.

The minister, while answering queries from reporters, said he supported the demand for loan waiver as made by former Union minister Mohan Dharia who prposes to undertake an indefinite fast from November 14 on the issue.

Mr Kadam said until the loans to farmers are not waived there could be no solution to the issue.

He said the Maharashtra Government has taken steps to waive interest on loans to farmers, but this was not enough. He informed that a Central Government-appointed was looking into the issue of loan waiver.

Mr Kadam said that till the time a decision was reached on the issue, the farmers will be charged at the rate of 6 per cent on loans.

He said during the current fiscal, the State Government has already disbursed loans to the tune of Rs 4100 crore.

Meanwhile, to a question on the ongoing agitation by farmers for a higher price for sugarcane and its effect on the sugar mills, Mr Kadam said out of 153 sugar mills, 53 had commenced the crushing while the rest would commence the operations soon.

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