One lakh farmers still waiting for loan waiver: Kishan Reddy

Union Minister for Coal and Mines G. Kishan Reddy has claimed that there are about one lakh farmers having taken loan of less than ₹1 lakh but have been denied benefit under the State government’s loan waiver scheme.

Another ‘failure’ of the Congress government is 15,000 farmers with accounts in the Telangana Grameena Bank have also been denied the loan waiver benefit, he told the media after a meeting with the State Level Bankers Committee (SLBC) on Monday.

Mr. Kishan Reddy, also BJP State president, has urged the government to secure the details from the banks concerned and ensure eligible farmers are provided the benefit of the loan waiver scheme.

“It is unfortunate that the ₹2 lakh farm loan waiver scheme of the ruling party has not benefited all the eligible farmers,” he maintained. Quoting figures, he said that the loan component for Telangana has increased by five times in the last 11 years.

If it was ₹27,676 crore in 2013-14, the loans issued has climbed to ₹1,37,346 crore under the Modi government, he said and pointed out that each bank branch has been tasked to provide loans to at least one SC, one ST and a woman applicant.

More awareness is necessary to inform people about loans available for various occupations, including poultry, artisan work, dairy, street vending and others being made available by the Central government through banks, said the Minister.

Bankers also need to sensitise people about grievance redressal for loans concerning students, home, kisan credit cards, self help groups making use of the 80,931 bank correspondents working in the rural areas. About 600 branches have been added to the existing 6,000 under the present regime, said Mr. Kishan Reddy. Rajya Sabha MP and BJP national OBC president K. Laxman and representatives of various public sector banks attended the meeting.