YSRCP seeks loan waiver for farmers

Press Release 

YSRCP seeks loan waiver for farmers 

Hyderabad, Nov
9, 2012: YSR Congress Party on Friday demanded the Government to declare an
immediate loan and interest waiver on farmers’ crop loans for the season in the
flood affected areas in the wake of the destruction caused by the Nilam
cyclone. 

The party’s
Central Governing Council (CGC) discussed the havoc caused by floods and the
absence of flood relief measures at a meeting presided over by party honourary
president Smt. Y. S. Vijayamma at Lotus Ponds here. 

Briefing the
media after the meeting, party Political Affairs Committee (PAC)
member-coordinator Konatala Ramakrishna said the party opined that the
Government has totally failed to anticipate the seriousness of the cyclone
threat and in taking up preventive measures. 

The party wanted
the Government to hike the ex-gratia to Rs.3 lakh from Rs.1.5 lakh offered to
the families of those killed in the floods besides announcing loan and interest
waiver for farmers including tenant farmers and provide seeds and fertilizers
on 75 per cent subsidy to those farmers who lost their crops, he said. 

“The meeting
also asked the Government to announce loan waiver, if any, to all flood
–affected agricultural labourers, weavers and other artisans and offer fresh
loans to them,” Ramakrishna said, adding that tenant farmers should be offered
a special package since they are the worst sufferers. The loans taken by the
women’s self help groups should be rescheduled for next year and interest
waived for the season, the meeting demanded.

The meeting
asked the Government to offer compensation at the rate of Rs.10,000 per acre to
all cotton, chilly and paddy farmers who lost their produce in the floods. 

Besides building
pucca houses to all those who lost shelter due to the floods, the Government
should also come forward to offer loans to the flood-hit cattle growers to
enable them to buy cattle afresh, the meeting demanded.

The meeting was
attended by party MLAs, MLCs and senior leaders besides the CGC members.