The government of Kerala announced that steps would be taken to write off loan dues of up to Rs 2 lakh of farmers and to stop cooperative banks from initiating proceedings against loan defaulters under the SARFAESI Act, on Monday.
This comes close on the heels of Congress president Rahul Gandhi seeking the state government's intervention into debt-ridden farmers commuting suicides.
Following the recent suicide of a farmer belonging to his constituency Wayanad, Rahul urged Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to take steps to address the issues leading to farmers' suicides.
On Monday, the Congress, the Opposition party in Kerala, raised the issue in the state Assembly and also staged a walkout protesting against the government's unwillingness to allow an adjournment motion.
The chief minister informed the Assembly that all state cooperative banks coming under the RBI would be instructed not to initiate attachment proceedings under the SARFAESI Act.
Agriculture minister V S Sunilkumar informed the house that steps to write off agriculture loan dues of up to Rs 2 lakhs would be initiated through the Agriculture Debt Relief Commission.
Ever since the Left Front came to power in May 2016, about 15 farmers from the state have committed suicide.
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