Farm Loan Waiver, State’s Discretion: Finance Panel Chief

Bhubaneswar: Chairman of the 15th Finance Commission Nand Kishore Singh on Monday said that it is for the Odisha government to decide on farm loan waiver.

“While some states have recently announced to waive the farm loan, the Odisha government has the discretion to take a call on this issue,” Singh told mediapersons after arriving at Biju Patnaik International Airport here from New Delhi.

The purpose behind his four-day visit to the state is to have brainstorming sessions with the Chief Minister, ministers, leaders of various political parties and the officials of Chambers of Commerce, he said.

“There is ample scope for Odisha to grow into a developed state in the country and no reason for it to financially lag behind other states. There would be intense deliberations on this issue” he pointed out.

According to official sources, Singh will visit different places of Odisha to review the implementation of the Odisha Livelihood Mission (OLM), the self-help groups (SHGs), drinking water projects, cyclone shelters and other developmental projects undertaken by the state government.

He will also review the work of the Chilika Development Authority (CDA) and the Wetland Research and Training Centre (WRTC), the sources added.