No farm loan waiver on govt's mind, hints Gujarat Dy CM Nitin Patel

Terming farm loan waiver a "short-term solution", Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel Wednesday hinted that the BJP government in the state did not have any immediate plans to write off farmers' debts. He made the remarks in the wake of the newly-formed Congress governments in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh announcing farm loan waivers, fulfilling a promise made by the party ahead of the Assembly polls.

Asked whether farmers in Gujarat could expect a similar relief here, Patel said the government had different plans, which were more effective than farm loan waivers. "Farm loan waiver is a short-term solution. Our aim is to offer a permanent solution to them. We want to make farmers prosperous. That is why our government spends crores of rupees on implementing various pro-farmer schemes through various departments," Patel told reporters in Gandhinagar.

He listed various steps taken by the state government, such as providing electricity to farmers for 10 hours and implementing drip irrigation. "We are taking such steps for the overall growth of farmers. Our government's method is different (from other states). Some states may have a different approach. Our ultimate goal is to provide a permanent solution and make farmers happy," Patel added.