Bagalkot, Dec 28: “The Coalition government was committed to waive off the farmers loans. Believe me. I have only one son and I vow on my son that I would waive off the farm loans”, said Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy.

Speaking at a programme organized to distribute No Objection Certificates to 2,796 farmers in Bagalkot on Friday, the CM said that the Opposition leaders have been alleging that the coalition government is cheating the farmers in loan waiver issue.

But we have taken a strong decision to waive off the loans. Our government will not cheat the farmers. Let us give strength. The Coalition government would survive. Farmers are no need to be panic. I will not go without waiving off farm loans”, the CM promised.

The government has not put any conditions for loan waiver. Only Aadhar card and pahani were asked with an intention that the loan waiver amount should not be misused by the middlemen.

If the banks served notices asking repayment of loans, no need to worry. They could not do anything. The government was with you. If the problem persists, meet the Deputy Commissioner and get solution, he asked the farmers.

Even in nationalized banks, the farmers were given NOC. There was no dearth of funds for farm loan waiver. It was decided to give additional Rs 2,500 crore. The government has decided to give Rs 25,000 incentives to the farmers who have taken loans from nationalized banks. The loan waiver would happen in four stages. In the next budget, Rs 25,000 crore nationalized banks loans would be waived off.

Under loan waiver scheme, total Rs 29,190 crore loan from 12 districts in Karnataka would be waived off, while Rs 12,070 crore from 12 districts of Old Karnataka, Rs 3,981 crore of three districts of central Karnataka and 1,508 crore of coastal districts would be waived off. Farmers from North Karnataka were getting total 63 per cent benefit of the scheme, he said.  

“I have met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi yesterday and appealed him to declare Upper-Krishna Project as national scheme and join hands with us. During his tenure as the PM, Deve Gowda had sanctioned the irrigation projects. The Cabinet has decided to give drinking water facility to 18 villages of Badami constituency.

A sum of Rs 65,000 crore has to be given for acquiring land for Upper-Krishna Project. First water should be released to Andhra Pradesh after storing water in our land. This is the water sharing situation”, he expressed his disgust.

Budget presentation in February

“The next Budget would be presented in February. Priority would be given to permanent solutions to the farmers problem. We have decided to change the farming methods. But you have to cooperate with us. I have decided to spend more time for the development of the North Karnataka”.

-          HD Kumaraswamy, Chief Minister

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New Delhi (PTI): Approximately 13 lakh litres of packaged drinking water -- 'Rail Neer' -- are being supplied to train passengers across the railway network daily, the government informed the Lok Sabha in a written reply on Wednesday.

Apprising the Lower House about the Indian Railways' endeavour to provide safe and potable drinking water facilities at all stations, the government also provided zone-wise details of the water vending machines (WVMs) installed there.

"To ensure the quality of drinking water being made available at the railway stations, instructions exist for periodical checking and required corrective action to be taken.

"Regular inspection and maintenance of drinking water facilities is carried out and complaints are attended to promptly," Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said while responding to a question raised by BJP MP Anup Sanjay Dhotre seeking to know the supply of drinking water at railway stations across the country

"Complaints regarding deficiency in services, including water supply, are received through various channels such as public complaints, web portals, social media, etc. These complaints are received at various levels, including the Railway Board, zonal railways, division office, etc.," Vaishnaw said.

"The complaints so received are forwarded to the concerned wings of Railways and necessary action is taken to check and address them. As receipt of such complaints and action taken thereon is a continuous and dynamic process, a centralised compendium of these is not maintained," he added.

Providing zone-wise details of water vending machines, the minister said 954 such machines have been installed across railway stations.

"The Indian Railways also provides safe and affordable packaged drinking water bottles -- Rail Neer -- approved by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) in trains and at stations," Vaishnaw said.

"Approximately, 13 lakh litres of Rail Neer are being supplied per day to the travelling passengers in trains and at stations across the Indian Railways network," he added.