Koppal/Bengaluru, December 24: Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy said that the farm loan would be completely waived off by January 31 next year.

Speaking to reporters here on Monday, the Chief Minister said that the government has considered the loan waiver as a serious and priority issue and by January 31 next, all farm loans would be waived off. The statements on creating suspicion on loan waiver should not be entertained. BJP people have been misleading the people saying that the government has cut the funds of other departments and diverted it to loan waiver scheme, which is not true. The government has conducted farmers meeting five times in the last seven months, which means everyone should understand the seriousness of the government. None have spoken about farmers problems during BJP government. Though the farmers from Tamil Nadu staged a nude protest in New Delhi, the central government has not taken it seriously, he alleged.

BJP had promised of bringing in comprehensive sand policy. But they had not done it. The problem was still there. But opposition leader KS Eshwarappa has been making allegations. Sand should reach the people without any problem, for which, he has directed the officials. Steps were being taken to check illegal sand business. Illegal sand business was not started during coalition government. This business was being carried out between the elected representatives and officials, he said.

He was aware of the problems of grapes and pomegranate farmers. It was his priority to introduce pro-people programmes in the coalition government, he said.

JDS district working president Veeresh Mahantaiah Mutt, state secretary KM Syed, spokesperson Mounesh Vaddatti, leaders Amare Gouda Patil, Pradeep Gouda Mali Patil and others were present.



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Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.

Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.

Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.

An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.

The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.

A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.

Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."

"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.

"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.

A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.