The chorus for waiving off farm loans has grown louder in Odisha following the decision of the Yogi Adityanath-led government in Uttar Pradesh to write off loans worth Rs 36,000 crore for the farmers.
At a review meeting with the chief minister Naveen Patnaik, the representatives of Bargarh and Puri panchayats today raised the demand for waiver of loans. Patnaik has been interacting with his party leaders at the grassroots level after rival BJP made unexpected gains at the recent panchayat elections, denting the ruling BJD's hegemony.
As per reports, about 34 million farmers in Odisha have availed loans for farming. About