Haryana extends Interest Waiver scheme

Chandigarh, July 13 (UNI) The Haryana gopvernment has extended for another three months the Interest Waiver scheme announced by Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda to reduce farmers' indebtedness.

The decision has been taken in view of the overwhelming response of the scheme which benefited over 3.20 lakh farmers, rural artisans and small shopkeepers to the tune of Rs 395 crore, a spokesman of the Cooperative Department today said.

The scheme had now been extended up to September 30. Earlier, the date to avail the benefit under the scheme was June 30, 2007, he added.

With the extension of the scheme, the loanees would likely to get benefit to the tune of Rs 1000 crore, he added.

The spokesman said that under Recovery Linked Incentive Scheme, over 2.46 lakh loanees repaid Rs 468 crore and got the benefit of Rs 155 crore as interest waiver through Primary Agriculture Cooperative Societies.

Likewise, 74838 loaness repaid Rs 466 crore and got the benefit of Rs 240 crore through District Primary Cooperative Agriculture and Rural Development Banks.

He said the officers of the Cooperative Department would visit villages to apprise the people about the benefit of the scheme so that the left out loanees could also avail the benefit.

Besides, the information regarding the scheme would also be disseminated to the people through the Panchayats.

UNI