U'khand govt announces relief for farmers

Uttarkhand government today ordered a six-month moratorium on recovery of revenue and irrigation dues from farmers besides announcing a waiver of electricity surcharge and interest on cooperative loans taken by them in the wake of damage to their standing wheat crop due to inclement weather.
Chief Minister Harish Rawat ordered that all recoveries from farmers be put off for the next six months from April 1 to September 30.
The state government will pay the interest on cooperative loans taken by farmers and electricity surcharge for the period, an official release here said.
The Central government has also been requested to exempt farmers of the state from repaying their loans taken from commercial banks and government institutions for the next six months, it said.

Rawat, who held a high level meeting to review the extent of damage to crops in the state, asked officials of Agriculture and Horticulture departments to prepare an alternative plan to help farmers.
Due to elimination of the central assistance given for plantation in Uttarakhand in the 14th finance commission, orders have been given to the Forest department to submit the projections by August.
The necessary funds would be provided by the state government, the chief minister was quoted as saying.