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Rs 25,000 crore in 2008-09 under loan waiver scheme: Sharad Pawar
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NewsByte on 23 April, 2008 02:52:00
 
New Delhi: Union Agricultural Minister Sharad Pawar today said that Rs
20,000-25,000 crore will be released in 2008-09 under the Rs 60000 crore Farm
Loan Waiver Scheme. "We will release Rs 20,000 to 25,000 crore this year and
rest amount will be disbursed next year. We will also ensure to bring all those
farmers who were not eligible to agricultural credit earlier. In that, states
have to play important role," he said.
The Minister further added that though about 4 crore farmers would be benefited
from the loan waiver scheme, other necessary measures have also taken by the
government to reduce farmers' woes.
He also underlined the importance of making crop insurance scheme more farmer
friendly so that more farmers could avail the facility. According to present
data, only 15 per cent farmers and 20 per cent of land area in the country have
been covered by the Rs 644 crore National Agriculture Insurance Scheme.
Government has also started 'weather based insurance scheme' in states like
Gujarat, Rajasthan, Chhatisgrah on pilot basis.
The Minister called on the states for reducing post harvest losses and
strengthen marketing facilities for better output from farming practices.
"Supply of quality seeds to farmers is the need of the hour and farmers should
have the liberty to choose best seed depending on the quality of soil and local
condition. NREGA should also focus on enhancing rainwater harvesting and
irrigation management," he advised.