Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (HB)
Udupi, Aug 12: The two governments of Congress in the state and BJP at the centre are not working for the development of people and neglecting their interests. Pro public programmes have not been implemented by these two governments.
Chief minister Siddaramaiah in the state assembly announced the crop loan waiver of up to Rs 50,000 per farmer which is set to cost the state exchequer Rs 8,165 crores. There is no clarity about the scheme whether it is implemented for 2016-17 or 2017-18. If the crop loan waiver applies to earlier year, it is not clear when the fund is supposed to be released from the government, said state general secretary of JD(S) Bojegowda while addressing press conference at Udupi press club here on Friday, August 11.
In 2016-17, the entire state faced severe drought like never seen before. All farmers had a same demand that the government waive off their loans. The government said they have waived loans which were in cooperative societies. But nowhere the money was deposited.
Nearly 99% percent of farmers then had to pay their loans to banks. Farmers have borrowed Rs 11.500 crores of loans from the banks. The government said to have deposited 11.281 crores of rupees to banks. But the government should not make drama of wiping the tears of people through this loan waiver. If they really have concerns for farmers, the government should release the amount at the earliest.
The BJP state president Yeddyurappa also promised farmers that he would pressurize the central government to waive off all debts. Soon BJP party president Amit Shah will be arriving in city. Let the party discuss about problems of the state by keeping aside its political gimmicks.
All, including MP Shobha Karndlaje, parliamentary member, should draw the attention of BJP national leaders towards the problems of farmers. Farmers have taken as many as Rs 38 crores of loans from the nationalized banks. She should speak about it to the BJP party president and play an important role in loan waiver of farmers from nationalized banks.
The government should not make false promises but execute the schemes in a proper way.
Regarding Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, Bojegowda said, I am ready to prove this scheme is fraud. There is no information available about who is handling this scheme. The government has given this task to a private company, which is cheating the public. What is the purpose behind the Pasalu Bhima yojana? The govt has wasted crores of rupees for its advertisement. The company has collected Rs 2.5 crores from farmers.
In one hand, they are providing loans on zero percent of interest upto Rs 3 lac. On the other hand, under PMFBY, farmers have to pay 5000 rupees of premium amount on Rs 1 lac. The government pressurized the farmers for crop loss premium amount in 2016-17 year. Did they give it back to farmers? Nearly Rs 60 crores has been collected from the entire nation, in the name of PMFBY. 90% of premium have been collected from the farmers of Karnataka also, said Bojegowda.
Yogish Shetty, district JD(S) president, Shalini Shetty Kenchanur, JDS women wing president, Anitha Shetty were present.