Ensure debt relief benefits to all eligible farmers: Mani

Kottayam, July 18 (UNI) Kerala Congress leader K M Mani, MLA, today urged the state government to take steps to make available the benefits of debt relief scheme to all eligible farmers in the state.

Inaugurating 'Kerala Karshaka Union Convention' here, Mr Mani told newspersons that farmers had renewed the agriculture loans by remitting the interest under the state government's special scheme.

These farmers were now outside the purview of the Centre's debt relief scheme, he said and added that it was the responsibility of the state government to take the benefits of the scheme to all eligible farmers.

He said the fair value of land should always be less than the market value but the rate announced by the government was above the market value and equal to the 'fancy price' fixed by land mafia.

Separate tariff rate should be fixed for agriculture, industrial and commercial lands, he said.

Mr Mani also reiterated the demand for agriculture loans at three per cent interest.

The Karshaka Union would launch agitations, if the government was not taking steps to redress the farmers's grievances, he warned.

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