Package for farmers:

The minister said Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra have reported 351 suicidal deaths by farmers on account of damage to crops due to adverse weather conditions and indebtedness. He said considering the large scale crop loss in certain districts of Andhra Pradesh, the Reserve Bank of India and the National Agricultural Bank for Rural Development (NABARD) have decided to offer a package to affected farmers, which included rescheduling of bank loans, moratorium for two years on loan repayment and reduction in rate of interest.

ONGC not to go in for Samadhan:

The Oil and Natural GasCorporation has no plans to avail the benefits of the `Kar Vivad Samadhan Scheme' announced in the Budget to settle its total disputed tax liability of Rs 2147.38 crore, the Rajya Sabha was informed on Thursday.

"As per the expert legal opinion obtained by ONGC, claims of income tax and excise departments are not tenable," minister of state for petroleum and natural gas Santosh Kumar Gangwar said. Of the disputed liabilities, a sum of Rs 1407.93 was due as corporate tax and Rs 739.45 crore towards excise.

Probe ordered into delay in bids:

The government has ordered an inquiry into the inordinate delay in taking a decision on the bids for setting up of duty-free shops at the international airports, Lok Sabha was informed on Thursday. Announcing this in the House during question hour, minister for civil aviation Ananth Kumar said that the Airport Authority of India had received bids in 1995 in response to its advertisement for consultants and consolidators to assist in running of duty free shopsat the country's five international airports.