Patna,(BiharTimes): To remove the general impression of being anti-farmer the Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday promisedinterest-free agriculture loans, if it comes to power in the state.

Talking to the media on the sidelines of Janata Darbar former deputyCM-cum-finance minister Sushil Kumar Modi said if the people give NDAan opportunity to serve the state it would provide interest-freeshort- and long-term loans to farmers.

He said the promise of interest-free agriculture loans would be a partof the BJP’s manifesto for the Assembly election. The facility wouldnot only provide the much-needed relief to the farmers but would alsogive a boost to the agriculture production.

SuMo said farmers get soft loans through Kisan Credit Cards at therate of seven per cent but they had to pay three per cent interest asthe Centre and the state government give three and one per cent of interest subsidy, respectively, on agriculture loans.

But, according to him, the farmers of Bihar are now paying four percent interest because the state government has stopped giving the oneper cent of interest subsidy on agriculture loan for the past two years.

The senior BJP leader also demanded a grant of around Rs 1,200 croreto Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) and the State FoodCorporation for paying the farmers selling paddy to them. He alsodemanded Rs 300 per quintal "bonus" to farmers on wheat procurementlike the state government is doling out bonus of Rs 300 per quintal onpaddy, besides clearing the amount of agriculture input subsidy.