Telangana announces farm loan waiver of up to ₹1 lakh, to be implemented from July 18

The Congress government in Telangana on Tuesday announced the much-awaited farm loan waiver programme for farmers in the state.

Announcing the farm loan waiver of up to Rs. 1 lakh, Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy said the programme will be implemented from July 18. He added that the money would be deposited into the farmers' loan accounts by the evening of July 18.

“Clear instructions have been given to bankers that the loan waiver funds should not get diverted. Strict action against bankers if they deposit the funds released by the government for loan waiver in other accounts,” Telangana chief minister's office (CMO) said in a statement.

Meanwhile, slamming the government's decision, Telangana BJP MP Eatala Rajender said the Revanth Reddy government is trying to run away from its promise of waiving loans worth ₹2 lakh for 69 lakh farmers by imposing several conditions.

"The Congress government is trying to run away from its promise of waiving loans of worth ₹2 lakh of 69 lakh farmers by imposing several conditions...We demand that the government should waive loans unconditionally" the BJP MP said.

It is important to note that the farm loan waiver was one of the major promises, along with six other guarantees, that the grand old party made during the Assembly polls conducted last year.

Earlier today, Chief Minister Reddy directed all the district collectors to undertake field visits to understand people's problems.

Speaking at a conference of District Collectors, Superintendents of Police and other officials, the Chief Minister said officials should make decisions with a humane touch and that they will not have job satisfaction if they are confined to "AC rooms."

Noting that the government spends ₹85,000 per month for every poor student, CM Reddy said the collectors should see to it that the education system is not hurt in any way, it said. They should supervise government schools and hospitals.

The Chief Minister asked the District Collectors to ensure the transparent implementation of the six poll 'guarantees' promised by the Congress during the Assembly elections.

The six guarantees

The Congress, in its poll manifesto for the Telangana Assembly Election in 2023, had promised six guarantees to “help realise the dream of Bangaru Telangana.”

These six guarantees were categorised as "Mahalakshmi", "Rythu Bharosa", "Gruha Jyothi", "Indiramma Indlu", "Yuva Vikasam" and "Cheyutha".