Farm loan waiver plan will be unveiled tomorrow: CM

The state government will unveil guidelines for the proposed farm loan waiver scheme on Wednesday, Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy announced on Monday.

Kumaraswamy, who made a courtesy call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi here, told reporters, “I am committed to writing off the farmers' agriculture loans. The government has prepared all the guidelines for its implementation and it will be unveiled on Wednesday at Bengaluru.”

Attacking BJP state president B S Yeddyurappa, Kumaraswamy said, “Yeddyurappa should be patient. I am not sitting idle. I am not Yeddyurappa to sit idle. I will not go back on the promise I made during the election campaign that I will waive loans within 24 hours of coming to power. If I fail to fulfil my promise, I am ready to resign as chief minister and quit politics. People should not fall prey to BJP's conspiracy politics."

"Don't panic and get confused (by BJP's statements). Not just farm loans. I will work on other matters related to people. There will be a difference when I work as chief minister," he claimed.

He also requested the media not to twist his Sunday's statement that he was under the mercy of the Congress.

“I made this statement in the context of implementing welfare programmes including loan waiver. Since our party failed to get a majority, we have formed a coalition government. In the coalition government, I am naturally at the mercy of the Congress as I have to consult them for any major decision. In the coalition government, I will be the chief minister's as long as the Congress supports me,” he said.

On his meeting with the prime minister, Kumaraswamy said Modi shared his political and administrative experience as the chief minister of Gujarat and as well as the prime minister. "We discussed various issues related to the welfare of the people," he said.

"I discussed the current problems, especially the shortage of coal for three thermal plants at Raichur, Yaramaras and Ballari in the state. I requested him to ensure sufficient coal supply to these thermal power plants. The current availability of coal in the state is sufficient to operate the plants for 15 days," he said.

Before meeting the prime minister, Kumaraswamy paid tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat here.