Centre provides Rs16,978 cr agriculture package

NEW DELHI: In a significant move to provide relief to debt-laden farmers, government on Friday cleared a Rs 16,978 crore rehabilitation package for 31 districts spread over four states which witnessed suicides by farmers.

The districts in Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala would get a subsidy package of Rs 10,579 crore and a loan component of Rs 6,399 crore, Finance Minister P Chidambaram told reporters after a meeting of the Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

The package would go to 16 districts of Andhra Pradesh, six in Karnataka, three in Kerala and six in Maharashtra.