Government to clear debt arrears of deceased farmer

A total loan of Rs 16.47 was taken by K J Thomas from two cooperative banks for farming and for educating his daughter.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state government will pay arrears of K J Thomas of Chembanodayil village Kozhikode - the farmer, who committed suicide due to a dispute over paying land tax.

An amount of Rs 16.47 lakh pending in two loans will be paid by the government.

The Cabinet on Wednesday decided to pay the arrears on Thomas’ bank loan from the Chief Minister’s distress relief fund. An amount of Rs 13.16 lakh is pending in Chakkittapara cooperative bank while Rs 3.31 lakh is pending in the educational loan taken for his daughter from Poozhithode Union Bank.

The amount will be granted from the CM’s distress fund.

The Cabinet also entrusted the Kozhikode District Collector with settling the dispute over land and collecting tax from the family.