KHAMMAM: Farmers in erstwhile Khammam district are busy these days, doing rounds of Agriculture department offices to get their loans waived instead of carrying out their regular cultivation works in peak sowing season.
Some farmers in both Khammam and Bhadradri Kothagudem districts said that the loan waiver has turned into a headache for them. As per available data, of the 3,71,157 farmers in Khammam district, only 1,15,345 have got their loans waived. In Bhadradri Kothagudem, only 30% of the farmers have been able to avail loan waiver.
This has led to some farmers accusing the government of lacking sincerity in implementing crop loan waiver. A farmer said that the state government was well aware that a majority of farmers don’t have ration cards and deliberately made the document mandatory to be eligible for the loan waiver. He also alleged that till now, there are no clear guidelines on loans above Rs 2 lakh.
Farmers in large numbers are reaching Agriculture department offices and submitting applications. All Rythu Vedikas in the villages are packed with farmers.
B Sudhakar, a farmer, said: ‘’Now, it’s peak season for cultivation but we are going to the Agriculture office to submit applications.” This has led to disgruntlement among farmers in the district. On Friday, hundreds of farmers took out a procession in Wyra town and submitted a memorandum to the mandal revenue officer demanding waiver of all crop loans, without conditions.
Khammam District Rythu Sangham president B Rambabu demanded the government waive all crop loans without any condition. He said it was saddening that farmers were doing rounds of Agriculture offices instead of tending to their fields.
Wyra municipal vice-chairman M Seetaramulu said due to the “ration card” rule and other technicalities, about 70% of the farmers did not get loan waiver in both districts. He too alleged that the government lacked sincerity and commitment towards farmers.
People losing faith in Cong, alleges Arvind
BJP MP Dharmapuri Arvind on Friday alleged that the Congress failed to fulfil its first election promise to the farming community to implement the Rs 2 lakh loan waiver scheme. “This has caused doubts among the people about the government’s ability to fulfil other promises made during the Assembly elections,” the MP said in Nizamabad