Telangana Assembly: Opposition seeks loan waiver implementation at once

Hyderabad: Congress, TDP and other opposition parties on Tuesday demanded the TRS government in Telangana to implement its agriculture loan waiver scheme at one go, and also take measures like declaration of drought-hit mandals to address growing farmers' suicides in the state.

Agriculture Minister Pocharam Srinivasa Reddy, who made a statement in the state Assembly for a debate on the 'Failure of monsoon and measures taken for welfare of farmers', said farmers' suicides were happening due to unfavourable seasonal conditions of two consecutive drought years inspite of the government's efforts.

He said the state government had taken steps like loan waiver to the tune of Rs 8,336 crore and providing seeds and fertilizers well in advance and power without interruption.

"The government would try to consider sympathetically the demand of loan waiver of remaining 50 per cent loan at once," he said.

Reddy further said that the government is proposing to grant enhanced ex-gratia for all the suicidal deaths approved by an official committee since June 2, 2014 (the day Telangana came into existence).

The state government on September 11 had said that 141 farmers had committed suicide and that ex-gratia was being paid to their family.

Citing the figures of National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), Congress member T Jeevan Reddy said during the debate that 1,400 farmers have committed suicide in the state.

Taking exception to the government implementing its election promise of farmers' loan waiver in a phased manner, he said it should be implemented at one go.

"The problem of farmers' suicides would not have arisen had the government implemented at once," he said.