BHUBANESWAR, OCT 25: Expressing concern over a series of suicides by farmers in the State allegedly due to crop loss and debt burden, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today asked farmers in the drought-hit areas not to worry about re-payment of loans assuring that the government would reschedule farm loans.
“Together we have faced many calamities in the past. The farmers of the drought affected areas need not worry about re-payment of their loans,” Patnaik said in a statement after returning from a visit to Delhi.
Stating that his government has all along been working to mitigate the sufferings of farmers and protect their interests, the Chief Minister said “the State government is implementing a drought package of about Rs 1,000 crore.”
The State government has taken a decision to reschedule agriculture loans and strong action would also be taken against unscrupulous money lenders, he said.
During his week-long visit to New Delhi, the Chief Minister met Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and demanded a special central assistance of Rs 3,500 crore to mitigate the dry-spell situation, which has resulted in crop loss in about 5.23 lakh hectares of cultivable land in State.
