Telangana Assembly: BRS counters Congress claims on crop loan waiver

Loans of farmers, who had availed upto Rs.1 lakh were waived off.

Hyderabad: Countering the claims of the Congress on the crop loan waiver with facts in the Assembly, the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) demanded that a policy decision should be taken by the State government to address the issues of farmers whose loans were not waived off.

During the general discussion on budget in the Assembly on Saturday, Parigi MLA T Ram Mohan Reddy said crop loans of all the farmers were waived off by the State government. Loans of farmers, who had availed upto Rs.1 lakh were waived off and they were performing ‘palabhiskhekams’ (milk bath) to Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy’s portrait, he said, adding that the Chief Minister had instructed the MLAs to collect the details of farmers whose loans were not waived off.

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Responding to the Parigi MLA’s claims, former Minister V Sunitha Laxma Reddy said loans of many farmers were yet to be waived off. “It has come to my notice that in a cooperative society of 240 farmers, loans of 140 farmers are waived off and 100 farmers are still waiting for their turn,” she said, adding that it would be tough for farmers to approach the MLA’s office and file applications for loan waiver.

The State government needs to take a policy decision in this regard, she said.

“Further, at a few places, citing loans, local MROs are not permitting the farmers to sell their lands,” Sunitha Laxma Reddy said.

Intervening, Legislative Affairs Minister D Sridhar Babu said the State government had commenced the crop loan waiver scheme recently. If there were any complaints, the government was prepared to take suggestions from members of all parties, he said.

Similarly, the Parigi MLA found fault with the past government for dividing the erstwhile districts into 33 new districts and wanted Vikarabad to be merged with Rangareddy district. For every 14,000 people there was one mandal, which should one mandal for every 40,000 to 50,000 people. There should be a discussion on this issue in the House, he demanded.

In reply, former Minister P Sabitha Indra Reddy said the people of Tandur, Vikarabad and neighbouring areas were happy that they do not have to travel all the way upto the Rangareddy Collectorate in Hyderabad to get their grievances addressed.

More importantly, after the formation of Vikarabad, a medical college, a nursing college, district court, Integrated District Offices Complex and many other facilities had come up, she said.

To this, the Legislative Affairs Minister responded saying that the Parigi MLA had only shared his opinion that no scientific process was adopted in formation of new districts.