Modi meets Shah, Jaitley on farmers' issues

New Delhi, Dec 27 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi has held consultations with top BJP leaders, including party chief Amit Shah, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh on issues concerning farmers amid indications that agrarian problems could be a factor in the BJP's ouster from three Hindi heartland states. Sources said the meeting held on Wednesday evening discussed ways in which the government could provide more relief to farmers. It may make a major announcement for farmers in the coming days.

The BJP-led government has a stated goal of doubling farmers incomes by 2022, but the Congress has been portraying it as "anti-farmer" and had wooed voters in the recently concluded assembly polls in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan with farm loan waivers. Congress President Rahul Gandhi has also said that they will not allow Modi to sleep till a farm loan waiver is announced for farmers.

The Lok Sabha elections are about four months away and the government is expected to improve its connect with farmers in the coming months. Meanwhile, the Union cabinet met Thursday evening. A briefing about its decisions will take place on Friday.


--IANS bns-ps/prs