Farm crisis to persist as Punjab govt initiates loan waiver today

Ruchika M Khanna

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 6

Major Singh (of Teka Kalan), Tek Singh (of Jiond), Sikandar Singh (of Rodewala) and today, it is Kulwant Singh (of Bhotna). All four farmers "in debt", committed suicide, not because they were grappling with the repayment of their crop loans taken from banks. They took the extreme step because they lost hope from the Congress government that had promised to waive their debt.

Ironically, the Capt Amarinder Singh government is getting ready to roll out its crop loan waiver scheme from Mansa on Sunday, celebrating their "success" at having fulfilled their promise. The average loan being waived for 46,556 farmers is Rs 40,000, in the first phase. 

Beneficiary farmers, who have already been "named and thus shamed" with their names being displayed as those who could not repay their loans, will be getting a certificate with the picture of the CM.  The government has defended this public display of beneficiary lists, saying it is way of doing a "social audit".

As the party leaders, including PPCC chief Sunil Jakhar, went full throttle to hail the scheme, pushing the "ugliness" it has already unfolded under the carpet, farmer organisations and even the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has threatened to hold protests in Mansa on Sunday, corresponding with the state function.

"We are launching a protest against the 'dramebaazi' of the government in Mansa tomorrow. Genuine farmers have been left out and only one-third of the total debt-ridden farmers from Bathinda, Mansa, Muktsar, Faridkot and Moga districts are getting relief tomorrow. The government has called singers to regale its step of debt waiver, making fun of the farmers' indebtedness with pomp and show. We are reports that big farmers are also getting relief because of their close association with ruling party," Sukhdev Singh Kokrikalan, general secretary of Bhartiya Kisan Union (Ekta Ugarhan) told The Tribune.

Nevertheless, Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh has managed to roll out the scheme even if it is a much scaled down version of what was promised. In spite of having inherited empty coffers from the previous government and with the Modi government refusing to help, he has managed to raise a loan of Rs 4,680 crore. However, the way the scheme is being implemented as also the frequent curtailing of beneficiaries (only 31 per cent of small and marginal debt-ridden farmers getting waiver) has led to bigger problems that have perhaps been overlooked. 

Scheme launch in Mansa 

At the official launch of the scheme in Mansa on Sunday, 46,556 farmers will be given certificates as beneficiaries. Their total loan amount is Rs 167.39 crore is being waived. The remaining relief of Rs 1.6 lakh per farmer will be given subsequently, said Additional Chief secretary, Development, Vishwajeet Khanna. After the formal launch on Sunday, all ministers and Congress MLAs will launch the scheme in their constituencies across the state

How it will work

• In the first phase, 1.6 lakh marginal farmers, who have availed loan of Rs 748 crore from cooperative banks will be covered.
• In second phase, Aadhaar seeding with the bank records of marginal farmers will be done for their inclusion. 
• In third phase, record of all small farmers will be verified to enable them to get relief. 
• In the last phase, if any eligible farmer is left out, he will be considered for re-verification, said Additional Chief Secretary, Cooperatives, DP Reddy.
• Loans of beneficiaries availed from public and private sector banks will be settled thereafter.