Mumbai, July 1
Prime Minister Dr
Manmohan Singh today unveiled a Rs 3,750 crore package for Vidarbha,
including loan waivers and rescheduling of agriculture
credit.
According to reports from Nagpur, Dr Singh said Rs 712 crore in
interest to co-operative credit societies would be waived while loans
amounting to Rs 1,300 crore would be rescheduled over 3-5 years with one
year moratorium on repayments.
The Prime Minister also announced the
setting up of an expert group to study rural indebtedness in its
totality. Dr Singh told reporters that the group would submit its report
within three months, adding that based on recommendations, the
government will take effective measures to deal with problems of the
farming community.
Dr Singh was visiting Amaravati, Akola, Washim,
Buldhana, Yavatmal and Wardha from where a large number of farmer
suicides have been reported in the past years.
