Date:27/06/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/06/27/stories/2008062752950300.htm

Andhra Pradesh

TDP MLAs, many court arrest

Correspondent

Change of norms for loan waiver sought

State not able to supply seeds and fertilizers, they say
Sanction of fresh loans sought

VIZIANAGARAM: P. Narayanaswamy Naidu, Padala Aruna and Tentu Lakshmi Naidu (TDP MLAs), R.P. Banj Deo and S. China Appala Naidu (ex-MLAs), Mopada Krishna Murty (Telugu Rythu), P. Kameswara Rao (CPI), M. Suryanarayana (CPI-M), Venugopal (Lok Satta), B. Rambabu (Rythu Sangam) and many more party workers courted arrest at the Collector’s office on Thursday demanding that the Government amend the conditions in the farm loan waiver scheme, sanction fresh loans, supply seeds and fertilizers on subsidy in time and announce support price of Rs.1000 per quintal of paddy. The leaders, who participated in the picketing at the entrance gate of the Collector’s office, offered no resistance during the police action and they were taken to one-town police station in separate jeeps. Yadla Ramana Murty, TDP district president, who participated in the protest, was spared on health reasons. They were all freed later.

In a statement, they said the Government was not able to supply seeds and fertilizers and also farm loans in time. On the other hand, due to shortage of complex fertilizers, traders jacked up the price. Describing the loan waiver scheme as an election gimmick, the farmers’ leaders said that only 27 per cent of the farmers in the district had taken loan from banks. Out of them 80 per cent repaid loan regularly.

The scheme was not useful for those who had borrowed money from moneylenders, they said.