APCC President Ripun Bora demands farmer loan waiver and aid for needy

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: In light of the COVID-19 crisis, Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Ripun Bora on Friday demanded that the farmers' loans for the year 2020 should be waived.

Addressing a press meet, Bora said that the State government should take measures to rehabilitate the people who have returned to the State. He said financial assistance of Rs 10,000 should be given to these people until the time they are rehabilitated.

Further, talking about the Rs 20-lakh-crore package, the leader said that the APCC welcomes the decision if the government helps businessmen and industrialists through the economic stimulus package. However, the small traders should also be assisted with cash amount. "The government should waive the loans of various women Self Help Groups that have taken loans from micro finance companies," he added.

Further, talking about the anomalies under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN), Bora alleged that beneficiary list has been manipulated.

"During the lockdown, the government had announced that it will provide 5 kg rice and 1 kg dal to the needy, but the beneficiary list did not include any lockdown-affected people," he alleged.

The leader also demanded that the working days under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNGREGA) should be extended to 200 days. "The affected people should be given Rs 7,500 for six consecutive months, where Rs 10,000 should be given in the beginning as a part of the first installment," Bora asserted.

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