AIKS demand subsidies and waiver of loans for farmers

Vijayawada, Feb 6 (UNI) The All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) today urged the Central and State Governments to provide subsidies and waive loans of small and marginal farmers in the country.

Talking to newspersons here, AIKS Vice-President K Nageswara Rao said the Centre was keen on waiving loans up to Rs 50,000, but Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy had suggested the Centre to provide input subsidy of Rs 5,000 to small and marginal farmers per annum upto three years instead of debt relief.

The governments should implement both the schemes for the farmers, he added.

He alleged that due to World Bank's pressure, the government had reduced the agricultural subsidies from 1991 in the country. As a result, the farmers did not get support prices for their produces, leading them to resort to suicides.

He urged the governments to continue the subsidies permanently to the agricultural sector.

Mr Rao said the United States had given Rs 275 billion dollars (Rs 10,45,000 crore) this year as subsidies to the agricultural sector.

He demanded that the government waive loans up to Rs one lakh and sanction fresh loans to the farmers to prevent them from committing suicide.

UNI MVB VA ROY RL DS1506