The Hindu Business Line : Cabinet nod for Rs 17,000-cr farmers' package

The Union Cabinet on Friday approved allocation of Rs 1,003.13 crore from the Centre as interest waiver for debt-stricken farmers of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala. This would be 50 per cent of the total estimated interest of Rs 2,006.25 crore to be waived off in the 25 debt-stressed districts of these three States.

The interest waiver is part of a Rs 16,978.69-crore rehabilitation package for farmers in 31 identified suicide-prone districts of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Maharashtra. It would involve Rs 10,579.43 crore as subsidy or grants and Rs 6,399.26 crore as loan. The package would be implemented over a three-year period, an official release stated here.

The loan assistance would cover Rs 3,207.81 crore from the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) for 2,565 minor irrigation schemes. Besides, there would be financial assistance of Rs 5,697.48 crore under the Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP) for 12 major projects and another Rs 832.81 crore for medium irrigation projects. In the 31 districts, there would be relaxation of the 1:1 criteria followed under the AIBP.

The remaining sums allocated are for a host of schemes involving watershed development (Rs 1,860 crore), micro-irrigation (Rs 801.53 crore), seed replacement (Rs 830.10 crore) and horticultural development (Rs 452.78 crore).

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