Jammu, Dec 20:
The CPI(M) Thursday welcomed the waiving off loans of farmers in different states and advocated for loan waiver to farmers and orchardists in Jammu and Kashmir. “In the last couple of days, governments in various states have waived off loans to farmers which was a long-pending demand. It is a welcome step,” senior CPI(M) leader and former MLA M Y Tarigami said in a statement here. “Similar demands were made in Jammu and Kashmir where small farmers and fruit growers suffered huge losses due to early snowfall on November 3. The early snowfall this season wreaked havoc on orchards in Kashmir, especially in the southern districts causing huge losses to the growers,” he said. The CPI(M) leader said he had recently written to Governor Satya Pal Malik on the alarming situation. “Unfortunately, the demand of loan waiver in Kashmir has not been fulfilled. It is high time one-time waiver of Kisan Credit Card (KCC) loans is provided to small farmers and orchardists whose harvest was damaged by the snowfall. It will benefit lakhs of families who are directly or indirectly under tremendous pressure from banks,” he said. Tarigami argued the one-time KCC loan waiver can be considered as one of the components of the relief and rehabilitation plan that can give a sigh of relief to the farming community. “Horticulture is the backbone of state’s economy and the heavy snowfall has dealt a blow to it. Under prevailing circumstances, it is an obligation for the government to come to the support and succour of farmers and orchardists,” he said. “We demand loan waiver on specified amount of KCC in favour of those farmers and agriculturists who are not in a position to purchase fertilisers and pesticides for their farms and orchards,” he said. The Left leader said there was also a need for introduction and implementation of Crop Insurance Scheme (CIS) as it can save the fruit growers and agriculturists in the event of losses suffered due to natural calamities.
