Will waive off farmers' loans after coming to power in Odisha: Dharmendra Pradhan

Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan assured that farmers' loans in poll-bound Odisha would be waived off once the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) comes to power in the state.

"We will waive off farmers' loans when we come to power in Odisha," Pradhan said while addressing a gathering in Bhadrak on Sunday.

Pradhan's assurance comes after several cases of farmer suicides due to crop failure were reported from the state.

In a stinging attack on the Naveen Patnaik-led Biju Janata Dal (BJD) government, Pradhan said "chit-fund heroes" were running the government in Odisha. "We need to change this government in 2019," he added.

Earlier this week, a 26-year-old farmer from Gambhariguda village in Kalahandi district allegedly committed suicide by consuming poison due to crop loss and loan burden.

The deceased had reportedly availed a loan of Rs 35,000 by mortgaging his wife's gold ornaments.

The farmer, identified as Paramanand, was rushed to Bhawanipatna district hospital but was pronounced dead upon arrival.

-ANI