Try another crop, CM tells cotton farmers

On Monday, Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh announced at Amravati that the district co-operative banks would be given Rs 1,200-crore this year as against Rs 750 crore last year for distribution of loans to farmers at a 8216;revolutionary8217; 6 per cent interest rate per annum. 8220;Those paying back in time would get a further rebate of 2 per cent,8221; Deshmukh told mediapersons after presiding over the annual kharif review meeting of Amravati Division. Deshmukh appealed to farmers to try a different crop than pursue cotton. 8220;Cotton is no more a cash crop,8221; he said. Admitting that 50 per cent of the posts in Vidarbha are vacant, the CM announced that the posts will soon be filled up. 8220;We will see if we can launch a special drive for that,8221; Deshmukh said.