Hooda to give relief on non-institutionalised loans to farmers

Chandigarh, Mar 9 (UNI) Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda today said that the state government would formulate plans to provide relief to those farmers of the State who had taken loans from the 'Adhtis' (Commission Agents).

" This relief would be such that it will neither harm the interest of farmers nor of Commission Agents", he announced while addressing 'Dhanyawad-Abhinandan Rally' at Ramlila Grounds in New Delhi today.

He said that the entire farming community of the country was thankful to the Congress President, Mrs Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for providing debt relief to the tune of Rs 60,000 crore to the farmers, as announced in the Union Budget for the year 2008-09.

While reacting to the statements made by opposition leaders regarding this decision of the Government, Mr Hooda remarked that the critics of this historic decision of the Congress led UPA government were not the real well-wishers of the farmers.

"Instead of criticizing, the opposition should welcome this pro-farmer budget as it will benefit the farmers of the country in a big way," he said.

The Chief Minister pointed out that the Minimum Support Price of wheat was increased hardly by Rs 10 per quintal during the NDA rule. But UPA government in the Centre had increased the MSP of wheat by Rs 50 to Rs 250 per quintal and of paddy by Rs 40 to 125 per quintal.

Giving details of the various steps taken by the State government for the benefit of farmers, Mr Hooda said his government had waived off outstanding electricity bills of the farmers amounting to Rs 1600 crore and had also exempted the farmers from the payment of the interest amounting to Rs 830 crore on the cooperative loans.

The national President of All India Khet Mazdoor Congress, Shamsher Singh Surjewala and President of Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee, Phool Chand Mulana also spoke on the occasion.

UNI HS JS1812