Opposition flays government for failure to waive agriculture loans
In his reply, Minister for Agriculture P Pulla Rao explained that the government redeemed 54.06 lakh agriculture loan accounts including 17.29 lakh gold loans taken for farming. As per the guidelines of Agriculture Debt Redemption Scheme, 22.52 lakh loan accounts, which are less than Rs 50,000 have been fully waived.
- Holds the ruling party responsible for farmers’ suicides
- YSRCP members stage walkout during the Question Hour
- Jagan lashes out at TDP for reneging on poll promises
Hyderabad: Legislators of YSRCP staged a walkout from the Assembly on Wednesday alleging that the TDP government failed to waive agriculture loans. Raising the issue during the question hour, YSRCP legislator Y Visweswar Reddy and others expressed grave concern over farmers committing suicide following pressure from the banks, as the TDP government failed to fulfill its election promise of waiving the agriculture loans including gold loans taken for farming.
In his reply, Minister for Agriculture P Pulla Rao explained that the government redeemed 54.06 lakh agriculture loan accounts including 17.29 lakh gold loans taken for farming. “As per the guidelines of Agriculture Debt Redemption Scheme, 22.52 lakh loan accounts, which are less than Rs 50,000 have been fully waived.
For the remaining accounts, the balance loan amount would be redeemed in four equal installments,” he said and added that the government was not aware of the banks issuing notices to the loan beneficiaries for recovery. Stating that they were not satisfied with Minister’s reply and would like to stage a walkout, leader of opposition YS Jaganmohan Reddy lashed out at the government for doling out a bundle of lies, even as the farmers were committing suicides.
Recalling the promises made by the TDP during the elections, Jagan said that the farm loans till then amounted to a whopping Rs 87,612 crore. “Since Naidu promised to waive the loans and called upon the farmers not to repay the loans, the farmers had stopped payment to the banks.
As a result the banks levied interests ranging from 14 to 18 percent and began issuing notices to the beneficiaries,” Jagan charged and stated that government has paid not even one-third of interest towards loan waiver. At this stage, Speaker Kodela Siva Prasada Rao asked Jagan not to indulge in rhetoric but confine himself to protest and briefly explain why his party members were staging a walk out. As no long speeches can be made during question hour, Jagan and his party legislators staged a walkout.
