Centre issued instructions on loan waiver: Minister

Thiruvananthapuram, Apr 20 (UNI) Union Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs and Planning V Narayan Swamy today said the Centre had issued necessary instructions to waive agriculture loans by June 30.

Talking to mediapersons here, he said the government asked the states to submit details about farmers debts before April 30.

Certificates would be issued to them after waiving the loans.

Claiming that Rs 60,000 crore would be spent for this purpose, he said according to sources about 80 lakh farmers in the state would be benefitted with this.

Stating that the Centre had noted some banks were asking unnecessary questions from farmers when they approached the officials to get the benefit, he warned that stringent action would be taken against them.

Rejecting the Left Parties demand for revamping PDS, he said if the government did it, the BPL people would not get the real benefit.

On the demand for raids on business houses, to check hoarding and black-marketing, he said it was the state government's duty to do that.

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