INDIA: Grapegrowers ask government to provide financial aid within a week

Grape farmers of 22 districts, piqued by the government’s failure to give them financial relief, have resolved to give a week to the Siddaramaiah government to address the issue. The decision was announced at a press conference by Abhaykumar Nandrekar, president, Karnataka State Grape Growers’ Association, here on Friday. “Ever since the Congress came to power, we have been asking them to waive off interest on loans borrowed from banks. The government, except rendering lip service, has not done anything so far,” he remarked.