Waive Loans For "Nilam" Affected Farmers: YSRCP

The YSR Congress Party on Friday demanded that the state government declare an immediate loan and interest waiver on farmers’ crop loans for the season in 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 honorary president Y S Vijayamma at Lotus Ponds here.

Briefing the media after the meeting, party Political Affairs Committee (PAC) member-coordinator Konatala Ramakrishna said that the party held the opinion that the government has totally failed to anticipate the seriousness of the cyclone threat and in taking up preventive measures. The party demanded that the government hike the ex-gratia to Rs.3 lakh from the 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% subsidy to those farmers who lost their crops, he said.

“The meeting also asked the government to announce a 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 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.

Party MLAs, MLCs and senior leaders, besides the CGC members, attended the meeting. (INN)