SL President urged to write off agricultural loans

[TamilNet, Friday, 03 March 2006, 00:01 GMT]
Amparai District Mosques Federation (ADMF) has appealed to Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapakse to write off all agricultural loans given by state sector banks to farmers who were affected by tsunami and flood. The memorandum reminded the President that according to his policy statement "Mahinda Vision" agricultural loans to affected farmers would be written off once he assumed power, sources said

But the promise has not been carried out, ADMF officials said.

The state banks have taken legal action against defaulted farmers to recover the loans, the memorandum stated.

Mr Rajapakse should immediately take steps to ensure the survival of affected farmers by canceling the agricultural loans immediately, the memorandum added.

Meanwhile, the President should make necessary arrangements to purchase paddy produced in the Maha season 2005-2006 under the guaranteed price scheme by providing more funds to the Agricultural Productivity Centers, the memorandum added.