Haryana farmers hit by floods get relief

CHANDIGARH - The Haryana government Saturday announced it would defer for one year the recovery of long-term cooperative loans from farmers in the flood-affected districts, Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda said.

The loans deferred amount to Rs.27.28 crore in the seven flood-affected districts - Ambala, Yamunanagar, Kurukshetra, Kaithal, Karnal, Sirsa and Fatehabad.

Hooda said the decision was taken to mitigate the sufferings of farmers, reeling under the effect of floods that have damaged their crops.

The highest amount of loan recovery deferred is in Ambala district, which was badly affected by flooding, at Rs.9.75 crore, followed by Kurukshetra at Rs.6.15 crore and Fatehabad at Rs.5.73 crore.

The Haryana government had recently decided to convert short term cooperative loans amounting to Rs.201.21 crore into medium term loans for the benefit of farmers in flood hit areas.