Calling the move an expedient, farmers in the delta region said it would bring enormous relief as they had suffered enormous crop damage due to the unusual heavy rains in January.
The announcement by Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami on the waiver of agricultural loans sanctioned by cooperative institutions, was a great relief for the farmers in the delta region who are facing a crisis situation due to the damage caused to crops by unusual January rains, as well as due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The bursting of crackers and the distribution of sweets to the public in some places in the delta region reflected the happiness of the farmers of the delta who have long been clamoring for this request,” observed G. Sethuraman, president of Tamizhaga Vivasayigal Nalasangam district. de Tiruvarur, thanking the Chief Minister for responding to farmers’ expectations.
“This is a boon for farmers who were facing heavy losses from the unusual rains,” said R. Subramanian, deputy secretary of the Cauvery Delta Farmers Welfare Association.
The demand for waiver of outstanding loans has been highlighted by farmers persistently, as several of them have become ineligible to obtain new crop loans through cooperative institutions, said Sundara Vimalanathan, general secretary of the ‘Association for the Protection of Farmers of Thanjavur District and PS Masilamani, State Deputy. Secretary, Thamizhaga Vivasayigal Sangam.
Calling the move timely, R. Sabapathy of Periyakottai, a progressive farmer, said waiving outstanding loans would allow several farmers to qualify for loans for new crops in the following season.
Commercial bank loans
While welcoming the waiver, farmers’ representatives also called for loans sanctioned by commercial banks to be canceled as well. “We know that waiving agricultural loans from banks is outside the purview of the state government. But the government can take responsibility for repaying bank loans or providing grants to individual farmers for loan repayment, ”one farmers’ leader suggested.
Farmers’ representatives also insisted that the benefit of the exemption should be extended to all farmers, whether small, marginal or large. “We welcome the waiver; but it should be extended to all farmers, ”said R. Raja Chidambaram, Secretary of State, Tamizhaga Vivasayigal Sangam.
Claiming that notices of foreclosure proceedings for default on harvest loans were being issued in Perambalur district, Mr. Chidambaram urged the government to ensure that such actions are immediately dropped.
Welcoming the announcement, N. Veerasekaran, state spokesman Bharathiya Kisan Sangh, called the waiver a “gift” to farmers who were reeling from a crisis due to the pandemic and recent rains. out of season. “But that’s only a temporary relief; Guaranteeing remunerative prices for agricultural products on their own can provide a permanent solution to the problems faced by farmers, ”he said.
The chief minister announced the waiver of crop loans to the tune of 12,110 crore obtained by more than 14.13 lakh farmers from cooperative banks across the state.
