Lucknow, Dec. 21 -- Less than 15 months before the 2027 Uttar Pradesh assembly polls, chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday announced a major relief for the small and marginal farmers by reducing the interest rate on UP Cooperative Rural Development Bank loans from 11.5% to 6%.

The chief minister, who inaugurated the Yuva Sahakar Sammelan (Youth Cooperative Conference) and UP Cooperative Expo 2025 here, accused the previous government of promoting a 'one district, one mafia' system, which devastated the cooperative sector and trapped farmers' capital.

"Through sustained efforts, Rs.4,700 crore of farmers' money has been recovered. With the elimination of mafia influence, cooperative banks are once again functioning efficiently and ex...