By IANS
Lucknow : Finance Minister P. Chidambaram’s massive loan waiver plan has failed to impress Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati, who said the move would not provide any long-term relief to the poverty-ridden farmers.
Talking to reporters here Saturday, Mayawati said: “The waiver of Rs.600 billion ($15 billion) farm loans will not provide any long term benefit to the farmers.
“It would have made much more sense if the government had done something more meaningful for the poor farmers who are actually being oppressed by local money-lenders, who continue to fleece them with impunity.”
Mayawati was also disappointed with the denial of a special economic package that she had been repeatedly demanding for the poverty-ridden Bundelkhand region where many farmers were forced to commit suicide.
“I am going to send yet another letter to the prime minister to review my demand for a special package of Rs.860 billion ($21.5 billion) for Bundelkhand and Purvanchal regions of Uttar Pradesh,” she said.