Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, on Wednesday, lashed out at BRS leaders accusing them of carrying out malicious propaganda against the Congress government in Telangana on crop loan waiver.
The Congress government had implemented crop loan waiver up to ₹2 lakh at one go in the State though none in the country had expected it. And that too, the promise was implemented and completed in the first year itself despite the challenging financial situation in the State, Mr. Vikramarka said.
He was speaking at a meeting held in Jamalapuram of Khammam district on Wednesday.
Taking a dig at the BRS leaders, he said, “Those who failed to implement loan waiver in five years had the audacity to talk about those who implemented loan waiver and kept their election promise in the first year of coming to power. Shame on them for spreading lies and false narratives.”
He clarified that farmers who had taken more than ₹2 lakh loan should repay loans over and above ₹2 lakh and inform the Agriculture department. Then, immediately ₹2 lakh would be waived for them.
He elaborated that the GO on crop loan waiver was issued on July 17 and from the next day itself, the amount was credited into the accounts of farmers who had availed loans up to ₹1 lakh. The second phase was taken up within 15 days while the Assembly session was in progress and the amount was credited into the accounts of farmers on July 30 with loan up to ₹1.5 lakh.
The third phase was implemented at the Wyra public meeting on August 15 and the amount was credited into the accounts of farmers with loans up to ₹2 lakh, he said.
In contrast, the previous BRS government repaid ₹1 lakh crop loan of farmers in four instalments from 2014 to 2018. What they had paid in instalments was enough to cover the interest. Bankers could not give fresh loans to farmers, he pointed out.
The previous BRS government during its second term at the helm implemented the crop loan waiver in a haphazard manner before the previous Assembly elections. They did not implement the crop insurance scheme for 10 years, he charged.
Allocation of a whopping ₹72,000 crore for agriculture and allied sectors in the Budget stands as a testament to the Congress government’s commitment to the cause of farmers, he asserted.
