Bhatti: Interest Free Loans to Women SHGs, Crop Loan Waiver Soon

Hyderabad: Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka said on Wednesday that the Congress government will provide interest-free loans of Rs 1 lakh crore to women self-help groups (SGHs) in the state in the next five years. He also said that the Congress government is committed to fulfil its poll promise of waiving crop loans of farmers up to Rs 2 lakh.

Addressing a press conference at Gandhi Bhavan on Wednesday, Bhatti said that the policy of the Congress government is to create wealth and distribute the wealth to the poor. Referring to the Congress government taking loans frequently, he said, "We are creating wealth even from loans. Wealth will be distributed to the people in the form of welfare schemes," he stated.

Reiterating the government's commitment to farmers, he assured, "Our government is fully committed to the issue of farmer loan waiver. There are no doubts about this commitment."

He said Rythu Bandhu will be continued in the name of Rythu Bharosa and there was no truth in reports that the government is planning to scrap this scheme.

Bhatti demanded the BJP-led government at the Centre to conduct caste census across the country. "The Centre should conduct a caste census so that the wealth and resources of the country are distributed equitably. Our demand is to make them partners in governance," he added. This, he said, aligns with Rahul Gandhi's vision of proportional distribution of wealth and positions based on population.

Bhatti stated that the state government will draft a full Budget based on the Union Budget. "Allocations in the state budget will be in accordance with the allocations made by the Centre," he noted, ensuring synchronised financial planning.

Referring to judicial inquiry on power purchase agreements entered into by the BRS regime,

"Chief Minister Revanth Reddy ordered judicial inquiry when the then power minister in BRS government Jagadish Reddy repeatedly asked for a judicial inquiry during the white paper discussion in the Assembly," said Bhatti, questioning the current resistance to the investigation.

Bhatti assured party workers that their efforts will be recognised. "The party high command has comprehensive information on the leaders who worked hard to bring the party to power. The distribution of posts will be done soon," he announced.

Commenting on the Kaleshwaram project, he stated that repairs would begin only after clearing the sand dumped in Madigadda barrage. He attributed the project's collapse to previous Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao's decisions, which were made without consulting engineers.