Farmers Movement Archive

Agri min promises to raise limit of farm-loan waiver, attacks Centre over pending dues

Dumka: State agriculture minister Badal Patralekh on Sunday said the state government will increase farm loan waiver by up to Rs 2 lakh from the existing Rs 50,000 if it manages to get more funds. He made the announcement while addressing a gathering of Congress workers at the Kargil Chowk in Godda during the launch of the party’s tractor rally in protest against the Centre’s farm laws. Patralekh also played an old audio clip of Narendra Modi’s pre-poll speech, in the which Modi had promised to waive off farmers’ loans if BJP came to power. “Did BJP do it?” Patralekh said, adding that the mahagathbandhan government in the state waived off farm loans soon after coming to power. “Had the Union government given us our share of funds, we would have provided loan waivers up to Rs 2 lakh. We will do it when the health of our finances improves. BJP, on the other hand, has betrayed farmers by bringing in three new farm laws.” Notably, the 80km-long tractor rally from Godda to Deogarh was held in solidarity with the protesting farmers, who were agitating near the borders of Delhi for the last two months seeking roll-back of the farm laws. Speaking at the rally, Patralekh said: “The laws have to be rolled back under any circumstances.” Other Congress leaders like Poriyahat MLA Pradeep Yadav and Jamtara MLA Irfan Ansari rode tractors along with a host of party workers from Godda to Deoghar. State Congress president Rameshwar Oraon was among the leaders who were present in Deoghar to take part in the rally. Over a 1,000 tractors and 5,000 participants took part in the rally, Congress sources claimed.

The Times of India

2021-02-01

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