Panchkula, June 29: Centre today announced waiver of interest on agricultural loans, for a period of one year, for the areas affected by drought last year. Union Agriculture Minister Rajnath Singh said this on the sidelines of the two-day Haryana BJP executive meeting here.

He told reporters that though the Centre has issued an appeal to the drought-affected states not to press farmers for reclamation of agriculture loans for that year, some state governments were not sticking to it. On the sidelines of two-day Haryana BJP executive meeting which concluded today, he said he said he would strive to reduce cost of agri-inputs.

Lauding efforts of Atal Bihari Vajpayee led NDA government for distributing "highest ever" relief money to the drought-affected states, he said the Centre was committed to provide all help to Haryana after the state suffered its worst drought last year. Former Union agriculture minister Ajit Singh had maintained that Haryana had not made any demand before the Centre for relief to cope with drought.

Urging party workers to strengthen BJP at grassroot level, Singh also dismissed there were any strains with its ally the ruling INLD in Haryana.

Bureau Report