Hyderabad, January 19: The state government will bring in a legislation during the budget session of the state Legislative Assembly next month for the benefit of tenant farmers who suffer loss during natural calamities, and to simultaneously safeguard the interests of landowners and banks.
The draft legislation has already been prepared and circulated to all political parties, farmers’ organisations and other stakeholders inviting their objections and suggestions in this regard.
Revenue minister N Raghuveera Reddy, who held an all-party meeting at the Secretariat today, told reporters later that the legislation would not only benefit all the tenant farmers in the state but also protect the interests of banks and the landowners from whom the tenant farmers obtained land for cultivation. “Ever since the problems of tenant farmers came to its notice, the government has been trying to address the issues. Observing the damage caused by the floods last year, we concluded that not all tenant farmers were benefited even through formation of Joint Liability Groups,” the minister said.
It was observed that both landowners and tenant farmers obtained loans on the same land documents which became major concern to banks while sanctioning crop loans. Hence, the government decided to come up with a legislation that would ensure that tenant farmers get benefited under all government programmes and also assure protection to the land belonging to its owner. A draft bill had been prepared after considering all these issues, he said.
“It has been circulated to all the district collectors for collecting complaints and suggestions from the stakeholders including farmers. The draft bill will be redrafted soon after considering the complaints and suggestions from various sectors,” said Raghuveera Reddy.
Another all-party meeting will be held in February before the final draft is placed before the Assembly for approval.
–Agencies