Rs 19,000 crore required to implement the scheme
NAVEENA GHANATE
Hyderabad
Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao has decided to resume the farmer loan waiver programme on Thursday (August 3).
KCR pointed out that, considering loans already waived, another Rs 19,000 crore was required for waiver of pending farm loans.
With the payment of Rs19,000crore, the commitment towards crop loan waiver will be fulfilled. The loan waiver will impact 43lakh accounts and 29.61lakh farmer families will benefit from it, KCR said.
The Chief Minister instructed Finance Minister Harish Rao and Finance Secretary Ramakrishna Rao to resume thecrop loan waiver programme.
KCR wanted the farmer loan waiver programme to be completed by the second week of September on the lines of the RythuBandhu benefit deposited in the farmers’ bank accounts directly in phased manner.
Farmers’ welfare and development of agriculture were among the main objectives of the state government, KCR reiterated.The state government, despite facing challenges, was committed to the welfare of farmers, the Chief Minister said.
KCR attributed the delay in the implementation of farm loan waiver scheme to economic slowdown, Centre’s decision on demonetization of high-value notes, impact of Corona pandemic on the state economy, and the vindictive attitude adopted by the Centre towards Telangana State by not releasing the FRBM funds etc, thus contributing to the state’s fiscal deficit.
Following the state’s recovery from adverse economic conditions, KCR held a high-level review at the Pragati Bhavan on the steps to be taken to resume the farmer loan waiver scheme.
State Finance Minister T Harish Rao, Chief Advisor to CM Somesh Kumar, Special Chief Secretary to Finance Ramakrishna Rao, HMDA Principal Secretary Arvind Kumar, and Agriculture Secretary Raghunandan Rao participated in the review.
KCR said: “As promised, the government is implementing the farm loan waiver scheme. Due to unforeseen troubles like Corona, the Centre’s unilateral decision to cut FRBM funds, and indifference toward Telangana in the release of funds delayed the process to the completion of the farm loan waiver scheme. The State government is sincerely implementing the schemes like Rythu Bandhu, Rythu Bima, free electricity and irrigation to the farmers. Notwithstanding the problems faced by the state, the government will not neglect the welfare of farmers. Further, the government initiated a big programme of setting up food processing units for development of agriculture. Thus, there is no need to rest until the farmers are empowered and they are financially uplifted.”
