Kumaraswamy solicit 15-day time to finalise

Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy held three-hour-long consultations with farmer leaders' association in Vidhan Soudha on Wednesday. Deputy CM G Parameshwara and Opposition leader Govind Karjol were present at the meeting.  The Chief Minister sought 15-days time period to wave-off farm loans and requested farmers leaders to cooperate till the final draft of the plan is ready. 

In a meeting held at the Vidhan Soudha, Kumaraswamy said, he would stand by his commitment waive off farm loan worth Rs 53,000 crore. "I saw a media report that 10 farmers have died after I took the oath. I called Chief Secretary and told I need report on this in one hour. It's 14 suicides now. Some people are planting that Kumaraswamy won't waive off loans, " he said. He reiterated, "The promise I had made before the election, I stand by that. There is no going back. Both Congress and JD(S) are on the same page in farm loan waiver." Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwar said that there was no objection to the waving-off farmers' debt.

Parameshwar said, "If the JDS had come to power with a clear majority, Kumaraswamy would have waved the loan off by this time, but in a coalition government we have to decide on the issue after deliberation."  Kumaraswamy further assured that Yeshasvini Cooperative Farmers Health Care Scheme" (Yeshasvini Scheme) will continue in the Congres-JDS coalition government. Then the Hon'ble Chief Minister of Karnataka Sri S.M.Krishna inaugurated the scheme on 14th of November 2002 and the scheme was operationalised with effect from 1st June 2003. Karnataka has become role model state with the introduction of 'Yeshasvini Self Funded Health Care Scheme'.