JAIPUR: Rajasthan State Planning Minister Mamta Bhupesh accused the Central government of not willing to waive the farmers' debts that were disbursed by nationalised banks through a special programme recommended by the Rajasthan Congress government. In the past, the State government granted a Rs. 14,000 crore waiver to more than 20.56 lakh farmers who had taken out loans from cooperative banks.
The Congress has been asksing with the BJP government at the Center to act quickly to waive off farmers' loans from nationalised, commercial, and land development banks coming under its purview. The Congress is facing accusations of not carrying out a full waiver after winning the State's election. The cooperative banks, on the other hand, are run by the state government.
In response to a query in the State Legislature, Ms. Bhupesh stated that the State government had offered to pay the farmers' portion of the waiver plan and provided information of multiple requests made and letters written to the Center. To implement a one-time loan waiver programme for the State's farmers along the lines of one implemented by the State Bank of India, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot had issued a proposal to the nationalised banks (SBI).
Agricultural debts were to be labelled as non-performing assets under the plan (NPA). The farmers were responsible for paying the remaining 10% after the SBI waived 90% of the debts. Mr. Gehlot asked the nationalised banks to implement a similar programme to assist struggling farmers and offered the State government's contribution of 10% of the farmers' share.
The state's ruling party further noted that during the BJP government's first term, industrialists' loans of Rs. 7.95 lakh crore had been forgiven while it was reluctant to help farmers.
Rahul Gandhi, the party's leader, promised that all farmer loans would be forgiven within 10 days of the party winning power as one of Congress's campaign pledges for the 2018 State Assembly election.
The Centre only formally responded to the State government's requests with one letter dated April 11, 2022, in which it refused to offer any financial support for the debt waiver. In addition, she added, no bank management had so far accepted the State government's proposition.
The Minister cited a December 19, 2018, decree from the State administration that declared all short-term crop debts from nationalised and scheduled banks would be forgiven. Following the proposal of a committee of interdepartmental Ministers and officers, the Cooperative and Planning Departments were designated as the nodal department for the purpose.
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