Banks, private lenders exploiting farmers: BKU

Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, January 8

The Bharti Kisan Union – Kadian (BKU) has taken a strong exception of an ongoing practice followed by banks and private lenders wherein they take signed blank cheques from farmers who take farm loans.

BKU president Harmeet Singh Kadian said, “The practice of taking blank cheques from farmers often results in harassment. Farmers are imprisoned undner criminal charges whereas default in repayment of loan is purely an economic offence.”

He asked the state government to sternly check this practice and return signed blank cheques obtained by banks and private lenders to farmers.

Kadian said the government has permitted some private companies to purchase wheat directly from farmers but no guidelines have been issued in this regard to make sure that farmers get remunerative prices and timely payment for their produce.

The BKU asked the government to issue appropriate directions and make the Punjab Mandi Board a nodal agency to oversee direct purchase of wheat by these companies.

The farmers’ body also expressed concern over spate of thefts of electrical cables, oil, electrical equipment and transformers from the fields due to foggy conditions. They appealed the government to direct the police to intensify night patrolling in rural areas and save debt-ridden farmers from further financial distress.