Interest-free loans for farmers another major step by CM Mr Chouhan

By Muslim Saleem

Bhopal, June 18, 2012

Thanks to Chief Minister Mr Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s constant efforts towards ensuring farmers’ welfare and progress and making agriculture a profitable occupation, farmers of the state have got yet another major bonanza. Now, they will get interest-free loans for purchasing seeds and fertiliser. With this, Madhya Pradesh has become the first state in entire world where farmers will get this facility, reports SMS News and Features.

Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan here on June 16 announced that farmers in the State will get interest-free loans. After ending his 24-hour fast observed to protest the hike in fertiliser prices over the last one year, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan told mediapersons, “This zero per cent rate of interest would be applicable for loans given to farmers since April 1 this year.”

When the Congress was in power, farmers used to get loans at 12 per cent, which had been gradually reduced to 3 per cent by the BJP Government and now no interest will be charged from agriculturists, he said. The BJP Government in Madhya Pradesh wanted to make agriculture a profitable venture for farmers but the Congress-led ruling coalition at the Centre, through its policies, was only increasing the financial burden on them, Chouhan asserted.

Prices of fertilisers in the country had been increased two to three times in the last one year and this had imposed a heavy burden on farmers, the Chief Minister said. He said there should be a clear-cut fertiliser policy under which prices of the key farm input are fixed by the Government from time to time.

If fertiliser prices are determined by market forces, as being contemplated by the Centre, their rates will change every month. The Centre should fix fertiliser prices in each season as it does in case of agricultural produce, he said.

The CM said there was no point in asking the States to reduce taxes imposed by the Centre on various farm-related items. “I find it strange that on the one hand the Centre goes on increasing prices and on the other we are expected to bring them down,” he said.

He alleged that the Central Government was insensitive towards the needs of the farmers. In the present price of fertilisers, how the farmers would manage cultivation, he asked, saying that it will take toll on their lives.

“Earlier, I had written a letter to honourable Prime Minister and had urged him to roll back the increased prices of fertiliser. But when I did not get any response, I thought that there is need to work towards protecting the interest of farmers and that is why I initiated the 'save farmers campaign',” he added.

Chouhan further said since India is an agriculture-driven economy, the Government should not put any kind of burden on the farmers.