Turning up the heat on the State government over the loan weaver scheme, Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee president N. Raghuveera Reddy on Friday said that the TDP government had literally declared an “unofficial crop holiday’’, by providing limited relief to debt-ridden farmers with just 15 days left for closing of the kharif season.
The PCC chief, along with other Congress leaders, took part in the 68th Independence Day celebrations here. Speaking on the occasion, he said the government order (GO) on the loan waiver scheme came like a bolt from the blue on the eve of Independence Day. “Limiting of the waiver to the extent of Rs 1.5 lakh only for crop loans is a treacherous move. Not a single rupee has been waived for members of women self-helf groups. One lakh is being given as a corpus fund to them,” he said.
Insurance Mr. Raghuveera Reddy alleged that the government was taking away insurance amounts meant for farmers. “What right does the government have to take away insurance money for which farmers have paid premium from their own pockets?,” he asked.
He said that banks were auctioning gold every day and farmers were getting notices from banks asking them to pay interest or else they would forfeit their gold. “Loan re-scheduling has now become loan renewal. The State government has not even come forward to pay the interest, forget about the principal amount,” he said.
“If this is the way the government is trying to fulfil its promise made in Hindupur, one can imagine what is going to be the future of the State,” he said. Former Ministers Botcha Satyanarayana, J.D.Seelam and others also participated in the celebrations.
