Plea to pay loan waiver arrears to farmers

Eluru: The Andhra Pradesh Rythu Sangham has demanded that the government pay arrears of loan waiver and interest concession to farmers as they were in neck-deep debts. A meeting of the district committee was held here on Wednesday. Speaking on the occasion, the Sangham state general secretary P Peddi Reddy said that it was not proper on the part of Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy to express his inability to pay dues of the previous government.

He said that the farmers have been eagerly waiting for fourth and fifth phases of loan waiver, crop loan interest concession, compensation for maize price variation, compensation of oil palm recovery, compensation towards natural calamities and drought relief. The farming community had plunged deep down into debts as there was no remunerative price for their produce for the past five years coupled with increased investment.

Reddy said that the drought on the other hand had resulted in the deterioration of financial condition of farmers. It was high time the government reconsider on the farmers plea to pay arrears supposed to be paid by the previous government.