R'sthan govt to provide wheat at Re 1 per kg to BPL category people

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot Wednesday said the state government will provide wheat at Re 1 per kg to below-poverty line (BPL) and state BPL category people, pay Rs 2 per litre bonus on milk to farmers, open new 5,000 dairy booths and give pension to small and marginal elderly farmers.

He also said the government will bring special package for the farmers who timely pay loans and also announced waiving all overdue loans of farmers from land development bank and central cooperative banks.

Replying to debate on the motion of thanks to governor's address, Gehlot also informed the House that the government will soon take a decision to implement 10 per cent reservation for economically weaker section of general category.

"The government of Rajasthan is going to take a decision very soon. We will implement 10 per cent reservation in the state," Gehlot said.

Speaking on the promises made in manifesto and its fulfilment, Gehlot announced that wheat at Re one per kg will be provided to BPL and state BPL, benefitting 1.53 crore people. Small and marginal elderly farmers who are not covered in pension scheme will be included in the scheme. The state government will also open 5,000 dairy booths.

Other announcements were regarding the employment generation for youth through Rajasthan Dairy Federation and paying Rs 2 per litre bonus on milk, among others.

On farm loan waiver, he said the government has decided that all loans by Cooperative Banks will be waived be it of small and marginal farmers or others.

Gehlot said that the process of waiving loan up to Rs 2 lakh of nationalised, scheduled and regional rural banks has been started, and talks with them have begun.

He also informed that the government has written a letter to the prime minister urging to waive of all farm loans.

Gehlot said the government will bring a special package for 'good borrowers' (farmers), one who pays the loans on time.

"We will do a study of such packages brought by states such as Gujarat, Telangana, Punjab, Karnataka, Odisha, etc and prepare a scheme," he said.

Earlier, before the debate on the motion, UDH minister Shanti Dhariwal tabled the Rajasthan Panchayati Raj (amendment) Bill, 2019 and Rajasthan Municipalities (amendment) bill, 2019, which is for doing away with the condition of minimum educational qualification for contesting local body elections in the state.

After the chief minister's reply, the House was adjourned till February 11.