Jhapa, December 29:

Demanding waiver of loans, small farmers in the district today padlocked Birtamod-based Small Farmer Development Bank.

The farmers also staged a sit-in protest outside the main gate of District Administration Office, Jhapa, and Agricultural Development Bank from 10 am to 2 pm.

After the finance minister’s announcement of the waiver of the loans in his budget speech, state-run Nepal Bank Limited and Rastriya Banijya Bank wrote off loans up to Rs 30,000 and interest on loan up to Rs 1 lakh.

However, the Small Farmer Development Bank has not taken any such step yet.

The farmers in 14 VDCs in the district are demanding a waiver as offered by other banks.

Meanwhile, women in Korobari Village Development Committee padlocked the VDC office saying they were not given enough cash for the construction of a Shivalaya.

Secretary Govinda Dahal said the women had demanded Rs 1 lakh while the all-party mechanism decided to provide Rs 40,000.