Anantapur: Praja Vedika demand crop loan waiver

Anantapur: In the Covid-19 lockdown context, farmers in the district are demanding the state government to implement crop loan waiver to offset losses and indebtedness caused by the lock-down challenges.

In the district more than Rs 2,000 crore loss incurred due to the pandemic COVID 19.

The farmers feel that the government must consider crop loan waiver to meet financial requirement for meeting various costs including expenses related to land management, ploughing, sowing, weeding, buying necessities like fertilizers, seeds, insecticides and farming equipment including tractors.

The farmers say that banks should waive crop loan interest to help them cultivate their land and earn a living out of it. Farmers get a 3 per cent of concession on crop loan interest for prompt repayment. Loans up to Rs.3 lakh are considered for this benefit. This helps borrowers to inculcate good repaying habit and secure loans at 4 per cent annual rate. In order to ensure that farmers do not have to face the situation of paying penal interest and they can continue getting the benefit of short term crop loans at a 4 per cent interest rate. Many farmers are not able to travel to bank branches for payment of their short term crop loan dues.

Praja Science Vedika state president Dr.M.Suresh Babu told The Hans India that AP Government should announce loan waiver decision in spite of state facing financial crisis. The decision should be taken for rescuing debt-ridden farmers and revive the crisis hit farm sector. At this crucial period, government should create confidence in farmers. Agriculture department and seed corporations are not building confidence in farmers for procuring crops. Bills are still kept pending for the seed procured in March. Farmers with bitter experience are approaching private agents to sell the crop, as they get instant money.