New Delhi, June 30: Centre has convened a meeting of the Task Force on Drought (TFD) today to take stock of the agriculture situation in the wake of the worst drought that hit the country last year. It has also been decided that farmers which defaulted on loans will not be deprived of the one-year waiver of interest announced by the Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

"The TFD will meet under deputy prime minister L K Advani on June 30 and assess the agri-situation all over the country. It will consider and sanction additional relief if required," agriculture minister Rajanth Singh said here.

Giving details of the latest situation on drought relief, he said even those farmers who have defaulted on loans in the past will be eligible for the interest-relief announced by the Prime Minister in the winter session of Parliament.
A directive to this effect has been given to banks all over the country after "I had a meeting with Jaswant Singh (finance minister)", he added.

He said the instructions follow complaints that defaulters were not getting loan-interest concessions from the banks as announced by the Prime Minister.

Drought relief has been given on a war-footing without any partiality and the share of Rajasthan in assistance from the national calamity contingency fund and in grains released for relief employment was 41 and 37.5 per cent respectively.
In all, relief worth Rs 4383.33 crore has been provided to the drought-stricken state, he said.
This includes supply of water and fodder by rail and a pilot project for special nutrition for adolescent girls in two districts, he added.
Bureau Report