Waive off farm loans: Farmers Sangam

Tiruchirapalli, May 28 (UNI) The Tamilaga Vivasayeegal Sangam has urged the Union Government to waive off the loans of farmers without any pre-condition.

A resolution to this effect was adopted at the State Executive, Sangam state president S A Chinnasamy and secretary R Raja Chidambaram told newspersons after the meeting yesterday.

Requesting the Centre to refund the amount to those who had repaid their loans on or before March 31, 2006, the meeting urged the Central and State Governments to fix Rs 1,500 per quintal of paddy and Rs 200 per tonne for sugarcane as minimum support price, resolve Mullaperiyar and Palar river water disputes, besides establishing an autonomous body to implement the interim award of the Cauvery River Water Disputes Tribunal till the Supreme Court pronounced its final verdict on the vexed Cauvery water issue.

The meeting urged the Tamil Nadu Government to ensure uninterrupted power supply for pumpsets, setting up moniter panels comprising farmers representatives to oversee the implementation of centrally sponsored National Rural Employement Guarantee scheme in rural areas.

It decided to erect a life-size bronze statue of late farmer leader Nayarayanasamy Naidu at Kovilpatti and organise a farmers rally at Perambalur on July five, they added.

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