Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy along with Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy and other Ministers at the Sita Rama Irrigation Project in Khammam district on Thursday.
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Describing the waiver of crop loans with an allocation of ₹31,000 crore as a ‘watershed moment’ for farmers in the State, Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy has said the Indiramma Rajyam (Congress government) implemented a waiver of crop loans up to ₹2 lakh as promised, thereby relieving farmers of their debt burden on Independence Day.
The Congress government had fulfilled the promise made to farmers in the “Warangal Declaration” announced by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on May 6, 2022, he said while addressing a huge public meeting in Wyra town of Khammam district on Thursday.
The Chief Minister formally announced the completion of the implementation of a crop loan waiver amounting to around ₹17,934 crore in three instalments since July 18 this year, benefiting 22,37,848 farmers.
The instalment-wise details of the amount released towards the crop loan waiver scheme (first instalment: ₹6,098.93 crore to 11,50,193 farmers, second instalment of ₹6,190.01 crore to 6,40,823 farmers and third instalment of ₹5,644.24 crore to 4,46,832 farmers). The remaining farmers whose loans were more than ₹2 lakh would be extended the benefit in the near future, he said.
The Chief Minister, amid huge applause from the farmers at the public meeting, announced that the Sita Rama Lift Irrigation Project (SRLIP) would be completed by August 15, 2026, to provide water to around seven lakh acres in the former composite Khammam district.
Terming the wider coverage of the crop loan waiver scheme as a new record in the history of the country, the Chief Minister said: “We have demonstrated our commitment towards the welfare of farmers by implementing the crop loan waiver scheme by August 15, a promise made during the recent Lok Sabha elections.”
Referring to BRS leader and Siddipet MLA T. Harish Rao’s challenge to resign as MLA if the Congress government fulfilled its promise of crop loan waiver up to ₹2 lakh, Mr Revanth Reddy dared Mr. Rao to resign and seek a fresh mandate. If he was unwilling to do so, he should tender an open apology to farmers, Mr. Revanth Reddy added.
The Chief Minister slammed the BRS accusing it of a dubious track record in the implementation of the loan waiver depriving farmers of assured support during its decade-long rule.
He dared the BRS leaders K.T. Rama Rao and T. Harish Rao to come for a debate with Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka on the 10-year rule of the BRS compared to the eight-month rule of the Congress government in terms of fulfilment of promises and implementation of welfare schemes.
An amount of ₹8,000 crore to ₹10,000 crore would be required to complete the SRLIP, he said, reiterating that the project would be expeditiously completed within two years to create additional ayacut as well as stabilise the existing ayacut under the NSP left canal system in the erstwhile composite Khammam district. Top priority would be given to speedy completion of the SRLIP, Palamuru-Ranga Reddy Lift Irrigation Project and SLBC tunnel, he added.
Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, Ministers Tummala Nageswara Rao, N Uttam Kumar Reddy, Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy, and Komatreddy Venkat Reddy and others spoke.
