Rajasthan proposes panel on crop loan waiver; farmers call off protests

Jaipur, September 14

Farmers in Rajasthan, who were holding protests seeking the implementation of Swaminathan Commission recommendations and a crop loan waiver, called off their stir after a marathon meeting with a group of state ministers late last night.

The Rajasthan government is now set to form a panel to look into the issue of crop loan waiver, one of the key demands of the farmers.

The two sides reached an agreement on 11-point demands, following which the farmers decided to call off their stir, according to an official release.

In the meeting, the state government proposed to form a high power committee that will submit a report in a month on the farmers’ demand to waive crop loans of up to Rs 50,000, the release said.

On the demand regarding the implementation of Swaminathan Commission recommendations, state Agriculture Minister Prabhulal Saini said Rajasthan has implemented 80 per cent of the suggestions.

The minister clarified that the government has written to the Centre on some issues such as MSP and cost price evaluation for a decision.

“We have been able to get our demands met from the state government following which farmers called-off the ongoing blockade and protest that were on since the last 13 days in Sikar and other parts of the state,” president of Akhil Bhartiya Kisan Sabha and former MLA, Amra Ram said.

Farmers in Sikar and parts of Bikaner, Sriganganagar districts were protesting over these demands. PTI