CM Vilasroa Deshmukh says no to waiving farm loans

AKOLA: Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh on Sunday rejected a demand for waiving loans to farmers in Vidarbha region, where hundreds of debt-ridden farmers have committed suicide over the past few years.

He said writing off loans was not a remedy to prevent suicides by farmers, which he described as a disgrace to the state government.

Addressing a two-day conference of the Maharashtra Cotton Conference at Punjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth here, Deshmukh advised farmers in Vidarbha to face challenges instead of committing suicide.

Waiving interest on loans this year has benefited around 10 lakh farmers in six districts of Vidarbha, he said.

During his 15-minute speech, he painted a rosy picture of Maharashtra, saying the state will turn into paradise if all ongoing and proposed irrigation projects are completed.

He said Rs 43,000 crore is needed to complete pending irrigation projects in the state.

Deshmukh asked the Krishi Vidyapeeth (agricultural university) to undertake research on cotton so that its production could be substantially increased.