Gujarat draws up action plan after farmer suicide Amreli: Gujarat is facing a drought-like crisis and making things worse, there's been a farmer suicide in Amreli. Refusing to accept the Agriculture Minister's assurance that there's no spectre of drought, the Narendra Modi government has now drawn up a contingency plan for 75 talukas.

After a brief spell of rain, farmer Babubhai had taken a loan to sow seeds in his fields. But then came the dry spell, and fearing that his crop would fail and plunge him into debt, Babubhai consumed poison.

Savitaben, Babubhai's wife, says, "The crop failed twice. He had taken a loan of over Rs 2 lakh. He was left with no other option."

Goganbhai, Babubhai's brother, says, "He already had a debt of about Rs 1.43 lakh. And he had got an additional loan of Rs 72,000 for sowing the seed. I don't know how I will repay all this loan."...more    
08:28 AM, Jul 17, 2012

Bonanza for farmers, to get loans at 4 per cent New Delhi: In a bonanza to the farming community, the government on Monday announced loans at interest rate of four per cent -- three per cent less than market rate -- for farmers who pay their dues in time and raised the credit target for farm sector by Rs 1 lakh crore. "The existing interest subvention scheme of providing short-term crop loans at seven per cent interest rate will continue...  
12:28 PM, Feb 28, 2011

Farmer loan waiver: Who will bear the brunt? Hyderabad: Somerset held their nerve in a nail-biting qualifying match against the Auckland Aces, to win by four wickets in their Champions League T20 match in Hyderabad on Tuesday. Chasing 126 to win, Somerset opener Chris Jones blasted three quick fours before a stunning catch at point by Jimmy Adams off Kyle Mills ended his innings. RE van der Merwe and Peter Trego then took Somerset across the fifty mark...  
03:24 AM, Mar 01, 2008