India cancels small farmers' debt

The Indian government is to cancel the entire debt of the country's small farmers in a giant scheme that will cost 600bn rupees ($15bn; £7.6bn).

The move is a centrepiece of India's latest budget, with the government also increasing education spending by 20% and health funding by 15%.

Widely seen as a populist budget ahead of elections due by May 2009, Delhi has also pledged to control food prices.

The government also said it would keep up work to control wider inflation.

The farm loan cancellations will be offered to all farmers with less than two hectares of land.

Reaction from farmers groups has so far been mixed, with some complaining that the land-size criteria is too strict, and that those with larger fields will unfairly miss out.

Mohan Manidwar of Farmers Agitation Group, which highlights the large number of impoverished farmers committing suicide, said most farmers in the Vidarbha region of central Indian would miss out.