TN govt announces Rs 12,110 crore farm loan waiver

A few months ahead of Assembly elections, the AIADMK government in Tamil Nadu on Friday announced a waiver of Rs 12,110 crore crop loans availed by16.43 lakh farmers from cooperative banks.

Making the announcement in the state assembly, Chie fMinister K Palaniswami said the scheme would come intoimmediate effect and a Government Order shall be issued whilethe required financial allocation would be made in the interimbudget.

Asserting 'Iam a farmer too,' Palaniswami said it washis first duty to address the grievances of the farming peopleand ruling party MLAs welcomed his announcement by thunpingthe desks while the opposition benches were vacant.

The principal opposition party DMK, which staged a walkout ahead of the Governor's address on February 2, had alreadyannounced boycott of the session. Assembly elections arelikely in April or early May in Tamil Nadu.

The waiver would pave the way for 16.43 lakh farmers tocontinue cultivation without any hassles, Palaniswami said.

In his reaction, DMK chief M K Stalin said since he hasbeen promising crop loan waiver after his party assumed power,Palaniswami has now made the announcement as the ChiefMinister had no other option.

He was addressing a poll campaign in Tuticorin.

Palaniswami has not waived the loan considering thefarmers welfare but out of selfishness, eyeing the Assemblyelections, Stalin said, adding ''people know this very well.'' Palaniswami, targeting the DMK, said the party hadpromised two acres of land to landless farmers in the run upto 2006 Assembly polls, but they could not fulfill the promiseand people knew it and it is the truth.

Similarly, during 2019 Lok Sabha polls, leader ofopposition and DMK chief Stalin had assured waiver offarmers' crop loans in cooperative societies.

After it won 38 out of 39 constituencies, DMK forgot thepromise it made to the people.

''This is the routine they follow during every election,''he said, adding the AIADMK was the only party that fulfilledpromises. His party gave assurances that could be honoured andalso came up with fresh welfare measures, Palaniswami said.

After winning polls and retaining power in 2016, lateChief Minister J Jayalalithaa had waived Rs 5,318.73 crorefarm loans, benefitting 12.02 lakh small and micro farmers.

In 2017, his government provided Rs 2,247 crore drought reliefto ryots.

Farmers faced travails due to COVID-19, the back to backcyclones Nivar and Burevi last year besides the unseasonalrains that caused heavy damage to crops ready for harvest, hesaid.

Considering their welfare, crop input assistance ofRs 1,717 crore for 16.43 lakh farmers was ordered and theamount was being credited to their bank accounts directly, hesaid.

Though this measure would help them, the governmentwanted to extend further support to help them continuefarming. Also, farmers and various farmers associations havebeen urging the government to waive crop loans consideringdamage to crops, the Chief Minister said and announcedthe crop loan waiver.

Ministers and Deputy Speaker Pollachi V Jayaraman hailedthe Chief Miniser for the initiative.

Speaker P Dhanapal lauded the move on behalf of the Houseand MLAs could be seen walking up to Palaniswami to greet andthank him for the crop loan waiver. Some legislators touchedhis feet and took his blessings.

AIADMK's allies during the Lok Sabha polls, the PMK andDMDK, welcomed the announcement.