The Telangana chief minister said the scheme had been paused because of obstacles — like demonetisation — posed by the Union government.
Published Aug 03, 2023 | 7:00 AM ⚊ Updated Aug 03, 2023 | 7:00 AM
Telangana Chief Minister and BRS supremo K Chandrashekar Rao. (Supplied)
Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao on Wednesday, 2 August, decided to resume the waiving of farm loans for farmers from Thursday.
The BRS leader’s move is said to have been taken with an eye on the Assembly elections later this year.
In an official communication, the chief minister said that the resumption of waiver of farm loans was in continuation of the state government’s policy of taking care of the welfare of the farmers.
“I will stand by the farmers, regardless of what challenges I may have to face,” the chief minister said.
He said the delay in completing the farm loan waiver was on account of the slowing down of the state’s economy.
The reasons for this, according to him, were the Centre’s decision to demonetise high-value currency, the after-affect of the Covid-19 scourge and the Centre’s curbs on the state on raising funds.
Describing the curbs as a vengeful action of the centre against the state government, he said that the state had experienced difficulty in raising funds.
As the state’s finances are looking up now, it has been decided to resume waiver of the farm loans to farmers, he said.
తెలంగాణ రైతులకు శుభవార్త…
రైతు రుణమాఫీ కార్యక్రమాన్ని రేపటి (ఆగస్టు 3) నుంచి పున:ప్రారంభించి, పూర్తిచేయాలని ముఖ్యమంత్రి శ్రీ కె. చంద్రశేఖర్ రావు నిర్ణయించారు. ఇప్పటికే చేసిన రుణమాఫీ పోను మరో ₹19 వేల కోట్ల రుణాలను మాఫీ చేయనున్న తెలంగాణ ప్రభుత్వం. pic.twitter.com/3v4Q5hZJbu
— Telangana CMO (@TelanganaCMO) August 2, 2023
The decision, KCR said, was taken at a high-level review meeting attended by Telangana Finance Minister T Harish Rao, Finance Department Special Chief Secretary K Ramakrishna Rao, Chief Minister’s Special Advisor Somesh Kumar, and Agriculture Department Secretary M Raghunandan Rao.
The chief minister said: “As promised, we had continued the waiver of the farm loans, but delays occurred during the process on account of the Centre’s discriminatory policy towards state governments.”
He added: “Though the waiver of farm loans suffered some delay, the state government is continuing — without any break — farmer-friendly schemes including Rythu Bandhu, Rythu Bheema, free power, and irrigation water supply.”
KCR continued: “The Union government, out of spite, had held back the release of funds that were due to the state. Even then, the state government is committed to the welfare of farmers and would continue all the schemes in implementation for them, come what may.”
The chief minister said that besides continuing the welfare schemes, the government had taken up another initiative of setting up food processing units for the benefit of farmers. “I will not rest until the farmers are economically empowered,” he said.
KCR said that the state was yet to disburse ₹19,000 crore to farmers under the loan-waiver scheme. This waiver would be done in instalments and the entire exercise would be completed by the middle of September.
As soon as the decision on the waiver of farm loans came out, BRS working president KT Rama Rao gave a call to party workers to celebrate the occasion.
He said he was glad to know that the chief minister had decided to resume the waiver of the farm loans. “I want party workers to celebrate the occasion at village, mandal, and district centres.
