THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In the wake of back-to-back farmer suicides across Kerala, the state government has come up with a slew of relief measures for farmers, especially those from Idukki and Wayanad districts, who are the worst-affected in the mid-August floods.
The state cabinet which met here on Tuesday announced a number of steps including extending the moratorium on loan recovery till December 31.
In a major move to address the crisis-ridden farmers, the government declared moratorium for all loans taken by farmers - both agricultural and non-agricultural loans - from public sector, commercial and cooperative banks. Express has earlier reported about the move to treat all farmers' loans on par with agricultural loans.
The government has directed the Farmers' Debt Relief Commission to extend debt relief measures to farmers from Idukki and Wayanad districts for loans taken till the end of 2018 August, the month when the state witnessed one of the worst floods in its history. In other districts farmers will get debt relief for loans taken till March 31, 2014.
Immediate relief of Rs 85 crore - including Rs 54 crore from the Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund - has been sanctioned to provide compensation to farmers who suffered crop loss due to natural calamities. In another major step, the government has decided to provide up to 9 pc of the interest for new loans taken for long-term crops.
"The government has already taken a number of steps for farmers including the special packages for Idukki, Wayanad and Kuttanad. Also steps have been taken to bring out value added agri products. The new urgent relief measures are taken considering the crisis in the sector," said chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
To questions, Pinarayi said the government will provide solatium to the families of farmers who took the extreme step. No decision has been taken to provide relief to farmers who have taken loan from private financiers, said agriculture minister VS Sunil Kumar.
Relief Measures