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NCP for waiver of ryots’ loans

CUTTACK: The revived Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in the State on Saturday staged a dharna and held a protest meeting here demanding waiving of bank loans taken by farmers.

The party also demanded that no more water from the Mahanadi should be given to any industrial unit. It also said that the government should stop collecting water tax from farmers where irrigation facilities were defunct.

The NCP protest meeting was attended by over 500 farmers from nearby areas. Party steering committee member Anadi Sahu came down heavily on the banks that waived loans of Rs. 2,300 crores of a company owned by BJD MP Baijayant Panda.

“If banks are so generous in waiving loan of a particular company, the loans of farmers to the tune of Rs. 400 crores should also be waived,” Mr. Sahu said and threatened that the party would demonstrate in front of the banks and financial institutions that gave leeway to the company.

Mr. Sahu was also critical about the government’s decision to allow POSCO and 17 other industries to draw water from Taladanda canal. “The water in the Mahanadi river system is already not sufficient to meet the requirements of agriculture. How can the government think of diverting water for industrial units?” Mr. Sahu questioned.

“It is surprising that the government is coming forward to take loan to serve the purpose of a foreign company,” he maintained.

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