HYDERABAD: The Congress government in Telangana has kept up its poll promise by waiving crop loans of nearly 18 lakh farmers, involving a payment of Rs 12,200 crore in less than a fortnight.
The poll promise was to waive crop loans of farmers up to Rs 2 lakh. At an event held on the state Assembly premises on Tuesday, Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy launched the second phase of the crop loan waiver scheme. This meant waiving of crop loans up to Rs 1.5 lakh per farmer. He released `6,198 crore to 6.40 lakh farmers. The amount was credited directly into the bank accounts of these farmers.
The crop loan waiver programme started on July 15. In three days, the Congress government distributed Rs 6,098.93 crore to 11.5 lakh farmers, marking the first phase.
“We started the second phase today and released Rs 6,190 crore that will reach 6.40 lakh farmers,” the Chief Minister said.
Overall, in the two phases, the state has released Rs 12,289 crore to waive crop loans of nearly 18 lakh farmers,” Revanth Reddy said.
The Chief Minister said that in the third and final phase in August, the crop loans of farmers owning up to Rs 2 lakh each will be waived. “With this last round, we will be fulfilling this election promise within nine months of assuming power,” he said.
Revanth Reddy said July and August would be remembered as important months in the state’s history, coinciding with India’s Independence Day in August. This would be a great relief to the farmers who were burdened with heavy debts, he said.
The funds were allocated at the Assembly constituency level. Revanth Reddy said the waiver of Rs 31,000 crore in crop loans was unprecedented in the nation’s history.
The event was attended by Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, Assembly Speaker Gaddam Prasad, Legislative Council Chairman G. Sukhender Reddy, agriculture minister Tummala Nageswara Rao, Cabinet ministers, MLAs and MLCs.
The atmosphere was festive with the participation also of BJP MLAs and the lone CPI MLA, reflecting bipartisan support for the crop loan waiver scheme. BRS MLAs were not seen around.
Revanth Reddy recalled the Farmers Declaration the Congress made on May 6, 2022, in Warangal, promising to turn agriculture into a profitable profession.
The Chief Minister said the previous BRS government did not fully implement similar crop loan waiver promises during its two terms in office, leaving Rs 7,000 crore of crop loans that were not waived.
He said the Congress government would fulfil its promise of waiving crop loans up to Rs 2 lakh by the end of next month. “We have mobilised the necessary funds for this despite serious financial challenges,” he said.
The Chief Minister praised the efforts of Deputy Chief Minister holding the finance portfolio Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, and his team for their role in facilitating the waiver.
Revanth Reddy also highlighted other initiatives of the Congress government, including free travel for women in RTC buses, a Rs 10 lakh Aarogyasri health insurance cover, free power supply up to 200 units, and supply of gas cylinders at Rs 500, by way of fulfilling the party’s election promises.
Bhatti Vikramarka said, “This programme shows how eager the Congress government is towards implementing programmes for people’s welfare. This day will be a festival day for farmers as a huge burden would be off their chest.”
Bhatti Vikramarka said the government would also pay the crop insurance premium on behalf of farmers. Bhatti Vikramarka also stated that under the Rythu Bima scheme, the state government would pay a premium amount of Rs 1,580 crore on behalf of 42 lakh farmers. Our government would also pay Rs 1,350 crore premium on behalf of farmers under the crop insurance scheme from this year,” he said.
