Date:06/12/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/12/06/stories/2008120654520400.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

More farmers to get incentive

HYDERABAD: The government will consider payment of incentive to those farmers who have repaid their crop loans but after the cut off date of February 2008, according to Agriculture Minister N. Raghuveera Reddy.

He was responding to supplementaries during question hour in the Assembly on Friday. The question hour witnessed trading of charges between Congress and Opposition over the loan waiver scheme, incentives to farmers, remunerative prices, and supply of power during rabi.

The Congress ridiculed the TDP’s bid to champion the farmers’ cause while the latter accused it of causing disappointment to farmers, who promptly repaid the loans, by announcing a meagre incentive of Rs. 5,000.

TDP promises more

Leader of Opposition N. Chandrababu Naidu promised to pay Rs. 1 lakh to every farmer, who repaid his loan within time.

Mr. Raghuveera Reddy said 36 lakh out of 1.10 crore farmers were identified for payment of incentive while another 63-lakh were already covered under loan waiver scheme. Only about two lakh farmers were left out, he said.

D. Narendra (TDP), Chada Venkat Reddy (CPI), Nomula Narasimhaiah (CPI-M) and E. Rajender (TRS) complimented the government for the waiver scheme but expressed dissatisfaction that banks were reluctant to disburse fresh loans.

Walk-out

Not satisfied with the Minister’s reply to another question on remunerative prices for farm produce, G. Kishan Reddy (BJP) and CPI (M) members staged a walk-out.