Niranjan Reddy urges government to ensure timely crop loans for farmers

Former Agriculture Minister S Niranjan Reddy urged the Telangana government to ensure timely crop loans for eligible farmers, questioning delays in disbursal. He alleged that only 61 per cent of targeted loans had been disbursed as the Kharif season neared its end.

Hyderabad: Former Agriculture Minister S Niranjan Reddy urged the government to ensure prompt sanction of crop loans to every eligible farmer who has applied, without further delay. He found it unfair to trouble farmers seeking loans, particularly during drought conditions.

He questioned the practice of the banks insisting on repayment of old loans with interest before sanctioning fresh credit. The government should intervene with bankers to ensure timely disbursal of crop loans, he said.

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In a statement, Niranjan Reddy said only 61 per cent of the targeted loans had been disbursed even as the Kharif season was nearing its end, indicating the difficulties faced by farmers. He also criticised delays in loans from cooperative banks affiliated to DCCBs.

He said the Congress government had failed to implement loan waiver and was now unable to ensure even fresh crop loans, forcing farmers to depend on private lenders and high interest rates.