Regular loan paying farmers may soon be loan free: Deshmukh

Latur, Maharashtra, Nov 14 (UNI) Regular loan paying farmers would soon get their share of benefit as the government was considering to declare them loan free, Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh said.

Speaking at a function organised at the Manjira Sugar Co-operative here yesterday, Mr Deshmukh said an official announcement in this regard would be made soon.

The chief minister said the government was well aware of farmers' hardships and was making efforts to provide assistance with several welfare projects. The government has come up with a housing scheme for rural areas under which the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority will built five lakh houses in the rural areas with a provision of Rs 500 crore, he said.

Mr Deshmukh said barrages built on the Manjira river will bring large section of agricultural land under irrigation paving way for green revolution in the district.

He also announced Rs 1,200 for per tonne sugarcane to the farmers in the current crushing season.

Agriculture minister Balasaheb Thorat, former minister and MlC Deeliprao Deshmukh were among the other dignitaries present on the occasion.

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