When the Uttar Pradesh government could waive all crop loans availed by farmers, why can’t the Tamil Nadu government extend a helping hand to farmers with the same spirit, asked Union Minister of State for Road Transport, Highways and Shipping Pon. Radhakrishnan here on Friday.
Speaking to reporters after garlanding the Ambedkar statue near Anna Stadium in Vadaseri, the Minister said the UP government had waived crop loans fully with its own funds and did not depend on Centre’s help. The Minister also asked why the farmers were not approaching the State government for waiver of crop loans availed by them from nationalised banks.
Referring to the New Delhi agitation by Tamil Nadu farmers, Mr. Radhakrishnan said, “I promised them to arrange for a meeting with the Prime Minister if they brought a memorandum, but they failed to come to my office. However, I met them nearly five times.” One of the farmers who stripped his dress was from Karnataka, the Minister claimed. On enquiry they said he was a supporter of farmers’ leader Ayyakkannu, Mr. Radhakrishnan added.
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Later, Mr. Radhakrishnan distributed national-level Smart ID cards for artisans. To mark the birth anniversary of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, the Union Ministry of Textiles and Handicrafts Development Corporation had organised an awareness programme on downloading Bhim App in the mobile phones of artisans at YMCA Hall in Kanniyakumari. Speaking at the function, Mr. Radhakrishnan said that the country was earning a foreign exchange of ₹. 20,000crore every year by way of handicraft exports. In Kanniyakumari district , 15,000 artisans were producing ₹. 20-crore worth handicrafts, he said. As many as 3,621 artisans had enrolled in the specialised insurance scheme. Joint Director of Handicrafts Development Corporation L. Balu, Curator of Government Museum S. Satyavalli were present.