Let Centre also waive farm loans, CM says

A day after the State government announced waiver of interest on farmers’ medium- and long-term loans borrowed from co-operative banks, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah asked BJP leaders to pressure the Union Government to waive farmers’ loans borrowed from the nationalised banks, or, at least the interest.

On his way to Haveri, Siddaramaiah told mediapersons at the airport here on Thursday that only 20 per cent of farmers have borrowed from cooperative sector, while 80 per cent of loans are from the nationalised banks.

“For crop loss caused by the drought situation in the State, the Union government has not yet given funds, though we have demanded at least Rs 3,600 crore,” he said.

The chief minister said that the BJP’s ‘Raitha Chaitanya Yatra’ was not being conducted with a concern for farmers, it was just for publicity. He added that former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa was “desperate” due to cases filed against him and due to non-co-operation within his own party. Therefore he was blaming the State government, the chief minister opined.

When asked about Cabinet expansion, he stated that the issue would be discussed with the Congress High Command in Delhi, after Rahul Gandhi’s visit to the State.