Terming the loan waiver being implemented by the State government as no match to the poll promise made by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, CPI State secretary K. Ramakrishna demanded that an all-party meeting be called on the financial condition of the State and loan waiver.
There was a world of difference between the promise made in election and implementation, he told reporters here on Wednesday.
With the government announcing waiver of loans up to Rs.50,000 and bonds for the remaining over a period of five years, farmers did not get the expected benefit, he said.
He quoted an instance where a farmer who had borrowed Rs. 2 lakh and was eligible for waiver of Rs.1.5 lakh got a mere Rs.12,000 owing to the scale of finance adopted. Instead of putting the blame at the doorstep of banks, the Chief Minister should admit if there was a resource crunch. Instead of loan waiver promised, DWCRA members were getting revolving fund, he said. Weavers got no attention at all.
Except the Chief Minister’s euphoria about his visits to Japan and Singapore, the six-month rule of the new government did nothing to improve the lives of people, Mr. Ramakrishna said. The Chief Minister was chanting the Japan and Singapore mantra for everything, he said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was implementing the UPA policies much faster and rolled out a red carpet to corporates, he said.
On the other hand, the two governments were suppressing workers’ rights, he alleged. Mr. Ramakrishna, who was on his way to Srikakulam district, to participate in a protest by 10 left parties at Aurobindo Pharma said in the Labour Minister’s own district the workers were denied right to pitch a tent and carry out protests.
