Hindustantimes wants to start sending you push notifications. Click allow to subscribe

Gehlot writes to PM Modi, urges to waive off farm loans across the country

Hindustan Times, Jaipur | ByHT Correspondent
Jan 19, 2019 12:15 PM IST

Letters to Modi: CM also writes for increasing procurement price of moon beans by 25-40% under MSP

Jaipur: Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot writes to Prime Minister Narendra Modi over farm loan waiver across the country and increasing the purchase target of moong from 2.39 lakh metric tonne to 3.84 lakh metric tonne.

In a letter to the PM dated January 2, 2019, Gehlot states that across the country, the farmers’ situation is getting challenging. Rajasthan is an agricultural centric state, where due to difficult geographical conditions and absence of required financial assistance from the previous government, the majority of the farmers are in a state of financial crisis. Therefore, the farmers require immediate assistance and positive approach of the government.

Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now.

Since long, Congress President Rahul Gandhi is demanding loan waiver of farmers across the country. In the Congress ruled states – Punjab, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan, as committed the loan of farmers were waived providing relief to farmers. The farmers across the country are demanding the same, he states.

Gehlot said the state government has decided to waive complete short-term loans of farmers taken from the Cooperative banks. In addition to it, loans up to Rs 2 lakh will be waived of farmers who are unable to pay their loans taken from nationalized, regional rural and land development banks.

The CM in the letter also pointed at the loan waived by previous BJP government. He said the scheme brought by last government to waive loans of Rs 8000 crore was done without any financial provisions. The government made provision of only Rs 2000 crore, which had brought Rs 6000 crore financial burden on the present government. In this situation, it is obvious of having excessive financial burden on the state government.

“The country expects that in adverse financial conditions, the government of India will waive the loans. It is therefore requested that on lines of Congress ruled states, a National Loan Waiver scheme is brought to provide relief to farmers,” he stats.

Meanwhile in another letter to Modi dated January 16, the CM has urged to amend and increase the purchase target of moong from 2.39 lakh metric tonne (25% of the produce) to 3.84 lakh metric tone (40% of the produce). He has also asked to increase the purchase date to January 31, in order to provide relief to farmers.

Seeking the PM’ attention on the situation of purchase of moong on MSP, Gehlot in the letter states that the GoI has sanctioned purchase of 25% of probable produce of moong on MSP, which is 2.39 lakh metric tonne as target for 90 days (October 11,2018 to January 8, 2019).

In the sanctioned tenure, the Rajfed purchased 2.36 metric ton moong, which is 99% of the target from 167910 farmers, of the registered 2,20,218 farmers. Despite this purchase from registered 52308 farmers’ remains pending. The Kharif produce has been good in 201, which has led to increase in moong. Time and again the farmers’ and elected representatives are demanding increase of procurement, and the Ex-CM and agriculture minister too has urged to increase the procurement of moong from 25% to 40%.

On the same lines the GoI has apprised of the decision that the state government can increase procurement under MSP from registered farmers from 25% to 40%, where the additional procurement will be borne by the state government account. The state government’s financial situation is not sound and cannot bore procurement above 25%.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Start 14 Days Free Trial Subscribe Now
OPEN APP