The State government has decided to resume the implementation of loan waiver to farmers from Thursday.
Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao has issued directions to the officials concerned to start the process asserting that his government is committed to the cause of farmers in spite of the obstacles it is facing. The State government would require ₹19,000 crore for completing loan waiver up to ₹1 lakh to farmers.
The Chief Minister held a high-level review meeting on the issue on Wednesday. The State government started implementation of loan waiver after 2018 and farmers’ loans up to ₹35,000 had been cleared. But the process had been stopped due to financial constraints faced by the government.
Mr. Rao recalled that the slow down in the economy in the aftermath of demonetisation, adverse impact of COVID-19 pandemic and the “vindictive attitude” of the Centre in stopping release of funds under FRBM limits had slowed down implementation of loan waiver. Now that the State’s economy had recovered, the government had initiated measures for fulfilling its assurance given before the 2018 elections, he said.
He recalled how the loan waiver process had been adversely affected following unforeseen calamities like the COVID-19 pandemic as well as the Centre’s unilateral decision to cut down the quantum of funds due to Telangana. Implementation of schemes like Rythu Bandhu, Rythu Bima, free power and water is however continuing uninterrupted as the government is committed to fulfil its assurances, he said.
“There is no scope for ignoring schemes aimed at welfare of farmers, come what may,” he asserted. In addition to the existing schemes, the government is taking steps to set up food processing units for comprehensive development of agriculture and allied sectors as part of efforts towards farmers’ empowerment, he said.
He directed Finance Minister T. Harish Rao and department’s special chief secretary K. Ramakrishna Rao to release funds for loan waiver in phases on the lines of Rythu Bandhu, and complete the process within 45 days.
