Share 50% cost of farm loan waiver: HDK to Modi

Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy on Sunday, urged the Centre to share 50% of the burden of his government’s plan to waive farm loans.

“Debt of farmers is staring at us in the face. My government is ready to address this problem and I request the Government of India to support us,” the chief minister said in his address at the fourth meeting of the Niti Aayog governing council here.

“In Karnataka, about 85 lakh farmers have outstanding agricultural loans taken from the banks. Due to recurring droughts, the distress of the farmers is even more severe. I request the Government of India to provide 50% support for our loan-waiver initiative,” he said.

“The new government has to fulfil several aspirations of the people of Karnataka, and we need full support of the Government of India for this. While we represent different political ideologies, we should work together when it comes to development,” he said.

Stressing the need for gearing up to climate-resilient agriculture, Kumaraswamy said climate change was a reality, especially so in the agriculture sector.

He also said the state government would propose to implement the Centre’s Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Swasthya Suraksha Mission and its own Yeshaswini scheme as one integrated scheme.

The chief minister urged the Centre to increase the allocation of funds to the state under the State Disaster Response Fund.

He sought Rs 100 crore each per year to Yadgir and Raichur districts for five years to implement comprehensive development programmes.

Kumaraswamy said he was sure the NITI Aayog would prove its federal character given the developmental disparities in India. The chief minister added that the Aayog and the Union government must re-emphasise the federal and participative medium-term planning with concrete goals and inclusive development programmes.