The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Revival of Rural Indebtedness Act sought

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jul 21, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Revival of Rural Indebtedness Act sought

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, JULY 20. A meeting of the Andhra Pradesh Rythu Sangham held here on Sunday with the theme, "Farmers suicides and liberation from debt", has demanded revival and vigorous implementation of the Rural Indebtedness Act, if necessary through ordinance, according to a press release.

In a resolution adopted at the meeting, the Sangham also demanded waiver of outstanding crop loans including interest for small and marginal farmers in drought- hit areas and postponement of the recovery of loans for five years in other areas. Fresh loans should be given in tune with the land holding and increased scale of finance, according priority to small and marginal farmers.

Among those who addressed the meeting was P. Sainath, Associate Editor, The Hindu. He held the economic reforms implemented vigorously by the previous Government as part of the globalisation process, responsible for crisis in farm sector. It was because the farming community faced problems, that it was thrown out and a new political party elected. The whole world is keenly watching the performance of the new Government.

K. Varadarajan, general secretary of the All India Kisan Sabha, said the intensity of the crisis in the farm sector could be gauged from the fact that 7,000 farmers have committed suicide all over the country during this year, 577 of them in Andhra Pradesh. Koratala Satyanarayana, the CPI(M) Politburo member, B. Tulasidas and S. Malla Reddy, president and general secretary of the Sangham spoke.

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