BRS MLAs demand implementation of farmer loan waiver with passbooks as criteria

Speaking at Telangana Bhavan on Friday, Rajeshwar Reddy criticised the Congress government for its insufficient support to farmers.

Hyderabad: BRS MLA Palla Rajeshwar Reddy called for a comprehensive crop loan waiver for farmers, insisting that all loans up to Rs 2 lakh should be waived without restrictions and extended to all passbook holders. He stated that the State government implemented the scheme with just Rs 6,000 crore as against Rs 12,000 crore pending for payment to farmers under Rythu Bharosa farm investment support.

Speaking at Telangana Bhavan on Friday, Rajeshwar Reddy criticised the Congress government for its insufficient support to farmers. He said as per the statistics released by the Chief Minister himself, the State government gave only Rs 6,000 crore for the loan waiver, which covers only 30 percent of total farmers having crop loans and in terms of amount, covers merely 20 percent. “Against Rs 31,000 crore required for the scheme as declared by the State government, only Rs 6,000 crore have been released,” he said.

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The BRS legislator pointed out that the Congress promised to provide Rs 7,500 per acre to farmers under Rythu Bharosa, which should have amounted to Rs 12,500 crores for 1.5 crore acres. He said the farm loan waiver scheme benefited only 10 lakh of total 40 lakh farmers having crop loans upto Rs 2 lakh in the State.

He also pointed out the increase in farmer suicides since the Congress came to power, demanding release of immediate financial support under the Rythu Bharosa scheme. “Revanth Reddy and his Cabinet are deceiving farmers with false promises,” he added, likening their misleading tactics to those of Joseph Goebbels.

Rajeshwar Reddy reminded that during the BRS regime, substantial financial support was provided to farmers including Rs 70,000 crores to farmers under Rythu Bandhu farm investment support and Rs 30,000 crores under crop loan waiver. Another Rs 7,000 crore were paid in insurance to the families of 1.2 lakh farmers. He urged the Congress government to honour its promises and ensure that all eligible farmers benefit from the scheme.

MLAs KP Vivekananda and Kova Lakshmi also spoke.