There was no plan to waive loans of the landless, said the Government on Thursday.

But at the same time, the Govt said that schemes are in place to assist them get out of the grips of loaners.

While answering to a supplementary during Question Hour in the Rajya Sabha, Mr. Pawan Kumar Bansal, Minister of State for Finance, stated that there was no plan to waive loans of the landless.

There are several schemes for them, he said.

Indian Banks Association ordered its associates to offer loans to the landless in order that they can pay off the money-lenders, the Minister said.

Mr. Bansal also said that the administration has been receiving demand for lifting the 5-acre limit for farmers’ debt waiver plan.

But somewhere there would have to be a cut-off line, he added.

Mr. Sivanand Tiwari (JD-U) said that most of the agriculturists in Vidarbha area, which has been given special package following farmer suicides, have not used the advantages of debt waiver.

In Vidarbha, only 16,000 farmers have less than five acres of land, whereas the total number of growers in the region is 40,000, he said.

Mr. Bansal said the Centre has waived loans of Rs 8,951 crore helping 42.48 lakh farmers in Maharashtra.

He also said that there are 3.68 crore farmers across the country who have benefited from the debt waiver scheme announced in 2008.