Harish Digs Out Loan Waiver Data in RTI Query

Hyderabad: BRS MLA T. Harish Rao charged Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy with misguiding the nation on the waiver of up to Rs.2 lakh on farm loans. He cited data that he reportedly received from the State Bank of India (SBI) following a query under the RTI Act, dated September 25.

Citing an example, Harish Rao stated that of the 5,74,137 farmers with loans less than Rs.1 lakh with the SBI, the loans of 2,99,445 were waived.

The total number of farmers with loans between Rs.1 lakh and Rs.1.5 lakh with SBI was 2,62,341 of which 1,30,915 farmers had their loans waived.

Harish Rao said of the 1,65,607 farmers with loans between Rs.1.5 lakh and Rs.2 lakh, only 65,231 farmers had benefitted. “The data clearly states that 5,06,494 farmers, that is nearly 50 per cent loans, is not waived off just in the SBI," Harish Rao said and added that the numbers could be the similar in other banks.

In an open letter, Harish Rao recalled the Chief Minister had said loans of more than Rs.2 lakh would be waived if the farmers paid the difference.

“Most of the farmers became ineligible to avail the loan waiver after the state government laid down 31 different conditions,” Harish Rao said.

He stated that the then Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao had for six years disbursed `72,000 crore as Rythu Bandhu assistance. This is the first Dasara when the farmers are not getting Rythu Bandhu for the Kharif season, Harish Rao said.