Rajasthan becomes third Congress-ruled state to announce farm loan waiver

Two days after taking oath, Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot on Wednesday announced waiver of short-term loans taken by farmers from cooperative banks and loans of up to Rs 2 lakh from other banks. The waiver would cost Rs 8,000 crore to the state government. The Congress which won the recent assembly elections had promised in its manifesto to waive farm loans. Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh governments had already announced loan waivers for farmers.