Deputy CLP leader in Legislative Council Mohammed Ali Shabbir strongly condemned the lethargic approach of Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao in waiving off the farmers loans which resulted in Telangana farmers losing crop insurance for Khariff season.
Addressing a press conference at the Congress Legislature Party office here on Tuesday, Shabbir Ali said that the State Government has failed to pay Rs 4,250 crore, the first installment of the farm loan waiver scheme, even on the last day of Khariff season. This is the 25% of the total loan amount which the government had promised to remit in the accounts opened in bank branches across nine districts by September 26. However, the amount was not credited into the accounts till Tuesday afternoon. Since it takes nearly 8-10 days for the banks to complete the formalities, the farmers are set to lose crop insurance benefit even if the first installment gets credited to the banks till the end of banking hours, he said.
To prove his point, Shabbir Ali called up one farmer Narasimha Reddy during the press conference and got confirmation that no amount was credited into his account in Deccan Grameena Bank of Palvancha of Machareddy mandal of Nizamabad district. Later, he also spoke to the manager of the same bank who confirmed that the loan amount was yet to be remitted for nearly 2,000 accounts that the bank hold. However, he said that only one message has been sent to the banks that the first installment would be credited today.
The Congress leader alleged that the farmers would lose the crop insurance benefit due to the delay in remitting the first installment. Although the loan could be rescheduled, the lapsed crop insurance could not be revived. “The farmers, who were already hit due to late monsoon, deficient rainfall and erratic power supply, have now been pushed into another crisis of loss of crop insurance due to the lethargic behaviour of TRS Government. At least now, KCR should wake up from his slumber,” said Shabbir Ali. With folded hands, he pleaded the Chief Minister to take immediate action to ensure that farmers are rescued from facing another hardship.
Shabbir Ali asked the Chief Minister to explain the reasons for delay in remitting the first installment although a GO in this regard was issued on September 23 itself. Further, he asked KCR to explain how he proposes to resolve the new problem of loss of crop insurance. “Will the Chief Minister approach the Centre or the insurance companies to ensure that the Telangana farmers continue to enjoy the benefits of crop insurance?” he asked.
The former minister recalled that the previous UPA Government had waived off farm loans of nearly Rs 72,000 crore of 4.30 crore farmers across the country in 2008. The then united Andhra Pradesh was the major beneficiary where loans of nearly Rs 13,154 crore of over one crore farmers were waived off in single instance. They included 38 lakh farmers who were given incentive of Rs 5,000 each to the tune of nearly Rs 1800 crore. He said that the entire process of waiving off farm debts was completed within 100 days without any glitches.
Shabbir Ali also ridiculed the contradictory statements being made by various functionaries of the government with regard to power supply. While the Chief Minister has made repeated statements that the State would face energy crisis for next three years, Irrigation Minister T Harish Rao has been promising 24-hour power supply to farmers within two years. The officials of TSGENCO differ with their views. He asked the Chief Minister to come out with a single stand on the issue.
Welcoming the release of compensation for the families of Telangana martyrs, Shabbir Ali said that the government has released compensation for only 462 martyrs. As per the claims made by the Chief Minister and other TRS leaders more than 2,000 people laid down their lives for the cause of Telangana. Therefore, he demanded that compensation be released for all the families by seeking fresh and updated figures from the District Collectors.
TPCC Kisan Cell Chairman M Kodanda Reddy was also present in the press conference. (INN)