Farmers’ associations flag doubts about waiver clarifications

Hyderabad: Farmers groups, while welcoming the announcement to allow passbooks as the basis for availing farm loan waiver, have expressed fears that the other preconditions would deprive many of them of the benefits. This is because GO RT No. 567 has not been amended as yet, they said.

First, the government had encouraged the formation of self-help groups, joint liability groups, Rythu Mitra groups but the GO in its clause 4.13 (1) specifically exempted them from the waiver, they said.

Further, the GO mentions loan eligibility cards (LEC) from the scheme despite these cards being specifically given to tenant farmers as per the AP Land Licensed Cultivators Act, 2011. These are mostly availed by small and marginal families belonging to SC, ST and BC communities.

Nearly 12 lakh farmers had applied under Dharani seeking passbooks and the then government had accepted them. Of the 1.3 crore applications received during the Congress government’s Praja Palana, 70 lakh were regarding land issues.

These have not been resolved, said Sarampally Malla Reddy, All India Kisan Sabha state vice-president.

Banks had rescheduled loans even after the new government took over before the cut-off date of 9/12/2024 and they will now be excluded, he said. Such rescheduling had happened before the bifurcation of the state. Waivers done earlier did not have such riders.

Applying PM Kisan modalities would deny the benefit to many. Of the 65 lakh beneficiaries of Rythu Bandhu, only 29,78,394 were considered eligible for PM Kisan, the associations said.

The government instructing farmers to avail the waiver after repaying the remaining amount of the loan violated RBI guidelines, which specifically barred banks from putting additional financial burden between July and September when farmers invest in crops. Such conditions will push them to avail private loans, Malla Reddy said.