Finance Minister Eatala Rajender on Monday admitted in the State Assembly that some farmers were left uncovered under the State Government’s crop loan waiver scheme of 2014 due to omission at the bankers’ level and assured to examine the matter.
The issue of omission of some farmers from the crop loan waiver scheme was raised by Congress members T. Jeevan Reddy, T. Rammohan Reddy and others during the discussion on voting of demands for grants stating that injustice would be done to such farmers as the scheme would close with the release of fourth instalment of the waiver during 2017-18.
Mr. Rajender said that some of the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) legislators too had brought the issue to his notice but the Government had been keeping quiet on it as any opportunity to invite applications of omission could bring out many such cases. The discrepancy had occurred at the bankers level as it was they who had prepared the lists of farmers eligible for the loan waiver.
The two Congress leaders pointed out that they had some such genuine cases in their constituencies Jagtial and Parigi and even the district collectors concerned had written demi official (DO) letter to the State Government, but in vain.
Minister for Agriculture Pocharam Srinivas Reddy, who also responded on the issue, said that he would ask the Agriculture Secretary to take up the matter with his Finance counterparts and find a way out. On the suggestion of Mr. Jeevan Reddy that a resolution be adopted requesting farm loan waiver again as announced for Uttar Pradesh, Mr. Srinivas Reddy assured the House that such a request could be made, provided the Centre funds the farm loan waiver.
Mr. Rammohan Reddy also pointed out that the Government had made a law on the Debt Recovery Commission during the last session but it was yet to be implemented. He explained that the Commission would provide relief to farmers in repayment of loans taken from private moneylenders for two to three years in the event of drought conditions.
Deputy Chief Minister Md. Mahamood Ali, who also holds Revenue portfolio, stated that steps would be taken to constitute the Commission soon.
