UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath coming out after the cabinet meeting at Lok Bhawan in Lucknow on Tuesday. PTI photo

Tribune News Service

Lucknow, April 4

The Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh today approved waiver of farm loans, totalling Rs 36,359 crore, benefiting 86 lakh farmers, as promised by the BJP during the Assembly elections.The decision was taken at the first Cabinet meeting. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)Senior minister Siddhartha Nath Singh said the waiver also included a loan amount of Rs 5,630 crore taken by nearly  seven lakh farmers. Sources  claimed the government would take a loan either from the Centre or other financial institutions. The PM had declared at a rally that he would ensure “the BJP government at its first Cabinet meeting takes the decision to waive farmers’ loan”.The Cabinet approved Anti-Romeo Squads. Development works in Varanasi, the PM’s  constituency, also figured at the meeting. Congress’ RS Surjewala said the waiver excluded a large section of farmers. “UP has 2.33 crore farmers, of which 2.15 crore are small and marginal farmers. As many as 64.14 lakh farmers have taken a loan of Rs 86, 241 crore from banks. Cooperative bank loan is Rs 6,000 crore. This loan is of two kinds, crop and term loan, but unfortunately the UP Government’s decision covers only crop loans and not term loans,” he said.