6.2 Billion relief package for Maharashtra farmers

Wednesday, 31 December 2008, 16:03 IST
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Nagpur: The Maharashtra government Tuesday announced a relief package worth 6.2 billion (620 crore) to the crisis-ridden farmers in the state. Nearly four million farmers, who were left out by the central government's 71-billion loan waiver package, are expected to benefit from this initiative. Unveiling what is being seen as the 'election-eve' package, Chief Minister Ashok Chavan told the state assembly on the concluding day of its winter session that the multi-category measure would reach out the benefit to the farmers who have taken loans before 1997 and those who have been repaying the loans regularly. The package will also cover loans taken for goat rearing, poultry farming and other farm related activities, which were not waived by the earlier relief measures. It also has a one-time-settlement concession of up to 20,000 for the farmers who have taken loans in the current season if they pay the remainder in one go. The government has also taken upon itself the responsibility for paying the examination fees and bearing the medical expenses of children of farm families identified as suffering from acute distress by the Narendra Jadhav committee appointed by it. The package benefit will also extend to farmers owning land above to hectares who were not eligible for loan waiver in the earlier package.
Source: IANS