Loan waiver a State subject, says Union Minister

‘Centre plans to double farmers’ income in next 5 years’

Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Sudarshan Bhagat has stated that the Centre has no plans to implement the loan waiver scheme for the farming community across the country and it is purely an issue to be dealt with by the States individually.

He however stated that the Centre has plans to double farmers’ income in the next five years with the help of research institutions functioning under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) by modernising the way farming is done. Mr. Bhagat was here on a two-day visit of institutions working under ICAR and had a meeting with the directors of all such agencies.

Sheep-rearing scheme

Speaking to newspersons along with Union Minister for Labour Bandaru Dattatreya here on Saturday, Mr. Bhagat said the Centre, the National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC) had given a loan of ₹1,600 crore to Telangana for implementing the sheep-rearing scheme under which every shepherd community household would be given 20 sheep and one ram with 75% subsidy. The loan has ₹400 crore subsidy component, he noted.

On being pointed out that even BJP-ruled States like Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra and Congress-ruled Punjab and Karnataka had announced farm loan waiver and there was growing demand for the same in Madhya Pradesh and other States, the Union Minister said the Centre would only work towards making agriculture a remunerative activity and the issues such as loan waiver have to be examined by the States themselves.

On the increasing suicides of farmers in Telangana, Maharashtra and other States, Mr. Bhagat said the incidence had come down after the BJP had come to power at the Centre.

Wool industries

Meanwhile, Mr. Dattatreya said he would hold talks with the State Government for revival of wool industries at Warangal, Andole and Siddipet for making quality blankets and other products, including for export, since the State Government is implementing the sheep-rearing scheme from the current year.

The youth from sheep-rearing communities would be provided skill development training and helped in setting up start-ups and micro industries, the Union Minister said.