Telangana Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy Praises Historic Agricultural Loan Waiver
Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], August 19: Telangana Civil Supplies and Irrigation Minister Capt N Uttam Kumar Reddy has lauded the agricultural loan waiver scheme implemented by the Telangana government. This initiative, led by Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka, and Agriculture Minister Nageshwar Rao, is described as a historic move in independent India.
Details of the Loan Waiver
During a press conference at Jal Soudha, Uttam Kumar Reddy explained that loans up to Rs 1 lakh were waived on July 18, followed by loans up to Rs 1.5 lakh on July 30, and finally, loans up to Rs 2 lakh by August 15. He acknowledged that some farmers might not have had their loans waived due to incomplete information or minor errors in bank data.
Addressing Concerns
Uttam Kumar Reddy reassured farmers that issues with Aadhaar cards, ration cards, or bank passbooks would be resolved, and their loans would be forgiven. He mentioned that 1.2 lakh farmers had incorrect Aadhaar numbers, and 1.61 lakh farmers had discrepancies between their Aadhaar and bank account names. Additionally, 4.83 lakh farmers do not have ration cards, and Agriculture Officers have been directed to collect their details for loan waiver inclusion.
Comparison with BRS Government
Minister Uttam highlighted that the Congress government has waived Rs 18,000 crore in agricultural loans within 7-8 months, compared to the BRS government’s smaller loan waivers over several years. He criticized the BRS government for not waiving any loans during its first five years and for its negligible efforts during its second term.
Grievance Cell and Opposition Criticism
The Congress government has established a grievance cell to address farmers’ complaints and ensure all eligible loans are waived. Uttam Kumar Reddy criticized the BRS party for spreading misinformation and the BJP government for failing to address farmers’ issues despite repeated promises. He advised farmers to disregard the opposition’s false propaganda.
Crop Insurance and Compensation
Uttam Kumar Reddy also criticized the BRS government for not providing crop insurance during its ten-year tenure. In contrast, the Congress government has introduced a crop insurance scheme and will provide an Rs 500 bonus on fine paddy this season. The Congress government has already compensated farmers for crops damaged by unseasonal rains and hailstorms.
Doubts Revealed
Telangana -: Telangana is a state in southern India. It was formed in 2014 when it separated from Andhra Pradesh.
Minister -: A minister is a person who is in charge of a specific department in the government. They help make decisions and manage things like education, health, or agriculture.
Uttam Kumar Reddy -: Uttam Kumar Reddy is a politician in Telangana. He is the Civil Supplies and Irrigation Minister, which means he helps manage water resources and food supplies.
Agricultural Loan Waiver -: An agricultural loan waiver means that farmers do not have to pay back the money they borrowed for farming. This helps them when they are in financial trouble.
Chief Minister -: The Chief Minister is the head of the government in a state in India. They are like the captain of a team, making important decisions for the state.
Revanth Reddy -: Revanth Reddy is the Chief Minister of Telangana. He is the leader of the state government.
Rs 2 lakh -: Rs 2 lakh means 200,000 rupees. Rupees are the currency used in India.
Congress government -: The Congress government refers to the Indian National Congress party, which is one of the major political parties in India.
BRS government -: BRS stands for Bharat Rashtra Samithi, a political party in Telangana. It was previously known as TRS (Telangana Rashtra Samithi).
Grievance cell -: A grievance cell is a special office where people can go to complain or report problems they are facing. The government then tries to solve these problems.
Crop insurance scheme -: A crop insurance scheme is a program that helps farmers if their crops are damaged. It provides them with money to cover their losses.