Govt virtually rules out debt waiver scheme for farmers

Virtually rejecting opposition demand for debt waiver to farmers, the government on Wednesday said the Centre was continuously monitoring the drought situation and urged all parties to work together to deal with the problem.

Replying to a short duration discussion in the Lok Sabha on drought, drinking water crisis and inter-linking of rivers, Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh said the Narendra Modi-government had done a lot for the farmers in two years and the work could not be compared with that carried out  by the previous governments’ in 60 years.

On the Opposition’s demand of debt waiver to farmers, he said one of the members from Maharashtra had stated that such a scheme launched earlier had many faults.

To buttress his point, he cited a CAG report to say that Rs 271.49 crore was recovered from people who were not eligible for a debt-waiver scheme, which was to the tune of about Rs 72,000 crore.

In 5,000 cases, action was taken against bank staff and there were also instances of tampering with the records. “The country is fortunate that a son of poor has become the Prime Minister and that is why he thinks about farmers and village,” he said.

On the allegation that ministers were not visiting drought-hit areas and villages, Singh said several meetings have held in the PMO at highest levels with the Chief Ministers. “This government is continuously monitoring the situation and coordinating with the states,” he added. 

He asked the states to spend the amount received from the Centre for farmers on time.