Farm loan waiver: Despite reservations, NCP will cooperate with Maharashtra government: Pawar | Mumbai news - Hindustan Times
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Farm loan waiver: Despite reservations, NCP will cooperate with Maharashtra government: Pawar

Hindustan Times | By, Pune
Jun 26, 2017 12:02 AM IST

Mumbai city news: The NCP chief also insisted that the BJP government must implement recommendations of Swaminathan Commission to rid farmers across India of their financial woes

Acknowledging the state government’s decision to write off farm loans, former union agriculture minister and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president Sharad Pawar said his party would cooperate and coordinate with the government despite having reservations over the loan waiver.

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief and former union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar(HT file)
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief and former union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar(HT file)

“Though we aren’t fully satisfied, we’ll cooperate and coordinate with the government,” Pawar told journalists.

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He said the NCP made two suggestions to the state — pertaining farmers who are paying their instalments regularly and cut-off date for the waiver.

“Both the suggestions were addressed by the government. There are a few unresolved issues, which will be discussed and sorted later. Also, the government must address the others demands made by the farmers without wasting time,” Pawar.

The NCP chief insisted that the BJP government must implement recommendations of Swaminathan Commission to rid farmers across India of their financial woes.

“The BJP had promised this in its election manifesto, while Narendra Modi had assured it in all his election rallies,” Pawar said.

Pointing out that it has been two years since the state formed an Agriculture Price Commission, Pawar said the commission will ensure implementation of minimum support price to farmers.

He also drew attention to the plight of onion and tur farmers across Maharashtra. Pawar said onion farmers were facing hardships as the price bottomed because of a bumper crop, while the government had stopped purchasing tur.

“We need to export both the items and farmers needed financial assistance to do so. The decision to waive farm loan will backfire if the state fails to address this issue in time,” he said.

BOX

‘Symbolic election’

Sharad Pawar described the upcoming election between NDA nominee Ramnath Kovind and Opposition nominee Meira Kumar as ‘symbolic’. He said the electoral arithmetic was in favour of the NDA candidate and the outcome was a forgone conclusion. “But it is democracy and we need to fight the election,” he added. Pawar also clarified that he was never interested in the post.

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  • ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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    Satyajit Joshi has been in the profession for over three decades based in Pune. He has reported extensively on Western Maharashtra. And has also covered various political and social issues.

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