'Do not recover loans from farmers in drought-hit taluks'

District-in-Charge Minister D N Jeevaraj said that banks have been directed not to recover loans from the farmers hailing from drought hit taluks.

Speaking to presspersons here, he said the bank officials have been directed not to recover loans from farmers of Tarikere taluk, Lakya, Kasaba, Ambale hobli. The banks have been asked to adjust with the old loan borrowed by the farmers. The State government has already waived off loans upto Rs 25,000 borrowed by the farmers. The State government will pressurise the Centre to waive off the loans borrowed by the farmers from nationalised banks.

The Minister said that he has directed the district-level officials to make sure that there was no loopholes in the implementation of drought relief works.

The officials have been asked to furnish the statistics on the progress. With the district receiving good rainfall in the last three to four days, there is a ray of hope among the farmers, he said.

He said “the State government is opposed to the implementation of Tiger project in Kudremukh. If the Centre attempts to implement the schemes, then Centre would be responsible for the rising of anti-social elements in Western Ghats.”

“The State government is firm in its decision on Tiger project. Now, the ball is in the court of the Centre. The centre is trying to project that the project was initiated by the Supreme Court,” he alleged.

Zilla Panchayat President Suchitha Narendra, Deputy Commissioner D K Rangaswamy were present.