Govt has solution to problems of farmers: Raj minister

The ruling BJP in Rajasthan today hit out at the Congress on the crop loan waiver issue, saying they had a solution to the problems of farmers, but not of the opposition party.
By the end of its tenure, the state government would have provided a relief of over Rs 1.35 lakh crore to farmers in Rajasthan in the form of interest free loans, loan waiver and subsidy, Industries Minister Rajpal Singh Shekhawat said at a press meet here.
"We have diverted the resources of Rajasthan for farmers welfare. More than Rs 1.35 lakh crore worth of resources of the Rajasthan government were diverted for farmers and Rs 8,000 crore loan waiver announced in the budget was a part of it," he said.

The minister said, "We will be providing interest free crop loan of Rs 80,000 crore by the end of the year whereas previous the Congress provided loan of Rs 25,000 crore in its entire five years."
The BJP is working every year for the betterment of farmers, he said.
Shekhawat said that the government was not only concerned about the loan waiver but wanted to free farmers from debt stress and its vicious circle.

"We have the solution to the problems of farmers, but not of the Congress. We have asked Congress chief whip Govind Singh Dotasara and farmer leader Amraram to give suggestions, but they could not find time," he said.

It is unfortunate that those who do not have time for farmers issues are now turning well-wishers of farmers, the minister said.
Small and marginalised farmers were reeling under debt stress due to wrong policies of the Congress, he alleged.
Replying to a question on agitating farmers, he said that some people are politicising the issue.
Moreover, a permanent commission has been constituted that will find solution to the issues of farmers who took loans from banks other than cooperative banks, Shekhawat said.