The Hindu : National : If elected, we will cut farm loan rate: BJP

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Thursday, Apr 03, 2008
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If elected, we will cut farm loan rate: BJP

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: Farmers will be given loans at a lower rate of four per cent if the National Democratic Alliance is voted to power, Bharatiya Janata Party president Rajnath Singh said on Wednesday.

And for the first year, the loan would be interest-free. Now the interest rate is seven per cent.

Also, farmers above 60 years would get a pension from an NDA government.

Kisan adalat

Mr. Singh was addressing a group of farmers from western Uttar Pradesh at the party headquarters here, signalling the start of a countrywide campaign of ‘kisan adalats’ to counter the political fallout of the budget announcement by the Congress-led government of the Rs. 60,000-crore loan waiver for farmers.

Mr. Singh said there was no clarity on how the government intended financing the Rs. 60,000-crore relief.

The BJP is demanding that eligibility for waiver be extended to farmers with larger land holdings, especially in rain-dependent dry areas. The scheme covers only those with land holdings up to two hectares.

Inflation

Separately, BJP spokesman Rajiv Pratap Rudy criticised the government for blaming inflation on international prices.

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