Assam approves Rs 600 crore farm loan waiver

Guwahati | Assam government has approved farm loan waiver to the tune of Rs 600 crore which will benefit around eight lakh farmers of the state, its spokesman said on Tuesday. As per the scheme, the government will write off 25 percent loan of farmers up to a maximum of Rs 25,000 of all farm debts, Assam Government spokesperson and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary said.

The waiver will be for all the loans taken through Kisan Credit Card (KCC) and from PSU banks, he said.

The government has also sanctioned an interest relief scheme which will enable around 19 lakh farmers to take loans at zero interest from the next financial year, he said. The decisions were taken at a cabinet meeting was held on Monday night.

“The debt relief scheme for farmers will waive 25 percent of all loans taken till now. The benefit will be up to a maximum of Rs 25,000. This scheme will immediately benefit around eight lakh farmers,” he said.

Due to these schemes, there will be an additional burden of Rs 600 crore on the state exchequer this fiscal. “For the next fiscal, we will have to do budgetary provision for the schemes,” Patowary said.

The cabinet also approved subsidy up to Rs 10,000 to incentivize them if they take the loan from KCC.

“There will be interest relief scheme of up to four percent for farmers. There will be interest relief from the state government so that farmers get crop loan at zero interest from next financial year,” Patowary said, adding that around 19 lakh farmers across the state are expected to take the benefit of it.

The cabinet decided to enhance the state Freedom Fighters’ pension from Rs 20,000 to Rs 21,000.

The meeting also approved the formation of a Micro and Small Enterprises Facilitation Council to help the growth of MSME sector in the state, the minister said.

The government also sanctioned Rs 32.72 crore loan from National Cooperative Development Corporation for the revival of a jute mill at Nagaon, he added.