The Hon’ble Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh has requested to the Central Government to implement special plan immediately to waive off the loans of the farmers of Bundelkhand area of the State. She said that the loans distributed to the farmers till 31 March 2011 should be included in this special plan.

The Hon’ble Chief Minister in her letter sent to the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh has said that Bundelkhand area of the State has difficult geographical conditions and the economy of this area is mainly based on agriculture, owing to which the farmers of this area are facing many hardships. She said that owing to the ignorant attitude of earlier Governments, all-round development of Bundelkhand area had not taken place and this area had become economically backward.

Referring to her letter written to the Prime Minister on 13 January 2008 in which emphasising the drought conditions of Bundelkhand and nearby areas, she had demanded for sanctioning of Rs. 2,797 crore loan relief package from the Central Government immediately. In this letter, she said that she had also made request to the Central Government for Rs. 7,016 crore financial assistance for drought affected areas on 06 December 2007. Earlier, demand had been made for Rs. 20,000 crore package for filling the critical gaps.

In her letter sent today, the Hon’ble Chief Minister ji said that her Government had done maximum efforts to improve the economic conditions of Bundelkhand area. With a view to providing relief to farmers, directives had already been issued to the officers for no harassment of farmers regarding the loans up to Rs. 2 lakh. She said that now arrangement has been made that no harassment of farmers be done for revenue realisation from Revenue Department and in view of the debt conditions of the farmers of this area it is necessary to waive off their loans. She said that the State Government had provided the facility of crop loans and agriculture inputs to the farmers of Bundelkhand from its limited resources, but despite of 16.5 per cent more agriculture production in last financial year, the conditions of farmers had not improved satisfactorily. Owing to the ignorant attitude of Central Government and earlier State Governments, the financial status of farmers had not improved enough, she added.

The Hon’ble Chief Minister has also referred though the Central Government implemented loan relief plan in 2008, but it had not included the loans distributed before 31 March 1997 in this plan. Only limited relief was given for the loans distributed between 31 March 1997 and 31 March 2007. She said that this loan relief is not enough for the drought effected area of Bundelkhand and the farmers are unable to bear the burden of loans even now, owing to which resentment is growing among the farmers of this area. She said that Rs. 4,500 crore loan burden is estimated on 15 lakh farmers of this area.

सुरेन्द्र अग्निहोत्री
मो0 9415508695
upnewslive.com