Phase I of loan-waiver starts in Rajasthan

The Rajasthan government on Thursday started conducting camps at all the district headquarters for waiving off loans of farmers.

Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot inaugurated the camp at Sirsi road here and gave certificates to the farmers.

Similar camps were also started in other districts in which loan-waiver certificates will be given to the farmers.

"Congress president (Rahul Gandhi) had promised the loan-waiver to farmers and the decision of loan waiver was taken within two days of the government's formation. We are executing this, which shows that Congress does what it says," Pilot said at the function.

He accused the former Bharatiya Janata Party government of neglecting the interests of the farmers.

Agriculture Minister Lalchand Kataria said the camps were being held in every district from Thursday and certificates to farmers were being issued.

The entire loan taken by farmers from cooperative banks and land development banks will be waived off in the first phase.

The government had also announced waiver of loans up to Rs 2 lakh (for defaulter farmers) from commercial banks. The government officials are in discussion with the bank officials for carrying out the loan-waiver for the eligible farmers and this will be taken up in the next phase, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot had said on Wednesday.

Gehlot had on December 19 announced to waive off the farmers' entire short-term crop loan from cooperative banks and agriculture loans up to Rs 2 lakh for defaulter farmers from nationalised and other banks.