Banks urged to lend to tribal farmers in agency areas

In the Achampet constituency of Nagar Kurnool district, the Telangana state government has issued land rights documents to tribal farmers cultivating podu (forest) lands. However, tribal farmers are facing difficulties in obtaining bank loans despite having these land rights documents. Telangana Tribal Association State President M Dharma Nayak stated that banks have been providing loans to farmers in districts like Khammam, Adilabad, and Warangal who have received land rights.
He demanded that banks should also provide loans to the tribal farmers in the district as well.
Speaking to the media at the CITU office, Dharma Nayak questioned why banks are giving loans to tribals who have received land rights in other districts of Telangana, while they are not providing loans in this district. He urged the District Collector to take action and ensure that every farmer who has received land rights for podu lands should be given loans through banks.
He also mentioned that around 12,000 acres of land are being cultivated by tribals in the district, but the previous government only issued land rights to 2,000 people according to the 2006 Act and did not follow through. He emphasised that after the Congress government came into power in Telangana, it has been one year of governance, but the tribals, particularly those cultivating podu lands, are still not being fully recognised.
He urged the Chief Minister Revanth Reddy to issue land rights documents to all tribal farmers.
He also criticised the government for pushing tribals out of their lands in agency areas to make way for mining operations, making them helpless.