Keep farmers debt-free for a year: Dr G Parameshwar

Bengaluru: Taking serious note of the series of famer suicides in the state, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president, Dr G. Parameshwar on Monday  appealed to Chief Minister, Siddaramaiah to take all steps to defer the repayment of farmers’ loans for at least a year.

Apart from this, Dr Parameshwar  advised district in-charge ministers to tour their districts extensively to ward off fears leading to farmer suicides.

Speaking to reporters at the KPCC office, Dr Parameshwar said, “Irrespective of the nature or farmer loans, be it  from co-operative institutions, government owned financial agencies or private money lenders, it must be deferred. We cannot afford to allow  money lenders to wreak havoc on farmers’ lives. The state government should not hesitate to book criminal cases against those harassing farmers.”

He added that private money lenders’ harassment seem to be the main reason behind the spate of farmer suicides. In the same breath, he  heaped praise on the government for releasing Rs 928 crore arrears to sugarcane farmers. “In fact, the CM has taken a bold step to pay the arrears to cane farmers,” he declared.

The KPCC president appealed to Mr Siddaramaiah to take up a state-wide tour to assuage the feelings of the kin of those who had committed  suicide.