Jaipur: Cooperatives minister Ajay Singh Kilak on Friday said that the benefit of farm loan waiver would be extended to even “good farmers” who have been paying the interests. Kilak claimed it was an unprecedented decision in favour of farmers.“Under the previous UPA government (at centre), only defaulter farmers were given loan waivers,” Kilak said. He added that the Rajasthan state farm loan relief commission announced by chief minister Vasundhara Raje in her budget speech early this month has been constituted under home minister Gulab Chand Kataria. The commission, which is to hold its first meeting on February 28, would frame rules to categorise farmers, fix the limit of relief and consider if farm loans taken from non-cooperative banks can be brought under its purview.The cooperatives minister made the statement in assembly that witnessed big commotion over ongoing statewide farmers’ unrest, especially in the Shekhawati region. Independent legislator from Sikar’s Nawalgarh constituency Rajkumar Sharma, whose adjournment motion to raise the agitating farmers’ issues was turned down by the speaker, made a strong protest and stepped in the house well declaring to stage an indefinite sit-in.The Congress and BSP MLAs too joined Sharma in the well and shouted slogans against the government. Parliamentary affairs minister Rajendra Rathore said the Congress was trying to piggyback on Communists’ agitation. Home minister Kataria said, “If Congress were truly a well-wisher of farmers, it should name a single district where it succeeded in building farmers’ movement in past four years.”After a commotion for more than 30 minutes, the house was adjourned for half an hour. When it reassembled, chaos continued and led to heated arguments between water resources minister Ram Pratap and MLA Sharma. It was adjourned once again.The ruling party and the opposition leaders later reached an agreement that the government should make a statement in the house over the farmers’ demands. Home minister Gulab Chand Kataria informed the house that all arrested farmers and their leaders would soon be released. Kataria reiterated that the farmers were arrested as a high court ordered banned indefinite protest, which the farmers wanted, in the capital city. The home minister said 332 people were arrested in past four days, of which 165 were already out on bail while 167 would be released soon. The assembly was informed that farmers were staging protests in different districts, including Jaipur and Sikar.Cooperatives minister Kilak said interests and penalties on short-term farm loans taken two-three years ago that were in overdue category by September 30, 2017, would be waived. “Farmers whose short-term farm loan is outstanding till September 30, 2017, will also get waiver up to Rs 50,000,” he said.

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