Farmers get 245 crore relief from Gujarat state government.Home

Near about 2.5 lakh farmers of south Gujarat who obtain water for their farm from Ukai canal have got relief worth Rs 245 crore from the state government.

It was decided not to collect interest from the farmers on overdue payment for the water used for irrigation. Gujarat finance minister Saurabh Patel announced the irrigation interest waiver scheme-2015 in Gandhinagar after meeting a delegation of representatives from Surat district.

"The interest on irrigation water charges has doubled in many cases. This waiver on interest will help a lot of farmers," Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC), Surat chairman Raman Patel alias Jani said. Moreover, a farmer won't have to pay the pending irrigation charges at one go. He can pay up in eight installments.

Sugar cooperatives of Gujarat too could get some relief in the coming days. They could be returned the VAT amount that they may have paid to the state government in the past five years as an interest free loan. They would be given waiver from VAT which is paid at 2 per cent. The state government could exempt nearly 1 lakh sugarcane farmers from VAT for two years, sources said.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/