Ashok Gehlot
The newly elected Ashok Gehlot government in Rajasthan has announced waiver of short-term loans taken by farmers from cooperative banks and loans of up to Rs 2 lakh from other banks.
The announcement came two days after Ashok Gehlot tok oath as the Chief Minister of Rajasthan.
With this announcement, Rajasthan becomes the third Congress-ruled state to have announced waiver of farm loans. The Congress snatched power from the BJP in all the three states – Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh – in the just-concluded Assembly elections.
The loan waiver would cost Rs 18,000 crore to the Rajasthan government.
The Congress which won the recent assembly elections had promised in its manifesto to waive farm loans.
Congress president Rahul Gandhi had said this would be done within 10 days of the pary coming to power in the state.
Ashok Gehlot told reporters the scheme will apply to farmers in debt till November 30.
(With PTI inputs)
