Bhopal: Government to waive farm loan during model code too

Bhopal: Congress government in the state, prior to Lok Sabha elections, is going to make provision for farm loan waiver in vote-on-account too. The vote-on-account would be brought for government expenses between April and July The vote-on-account would be brought in the assembly session starting from February 18 and the fund for loan waiver would be put in vote-on-account so that loan waiver amount could be sent in the bank accounts of the farmers after April.

The government apprehends that with code of conduct for Lok Sabha elections becoming effective, a ban on farm loan waiver might be put. The state government is intentionally making this provision in vote-on-account for BJP to oppose sending of funds in the accounts as farm loan waiver. If BJP opposes then Congress would term it as anti-farmer. The opposition might instigate farmers, who were getting benefit of farm loan waiver, against the government, which the government would never want.

3rd suppl budget to have provision for loan waiver

The state government has also made provision of Rs 5000 crore in the second supplementary budget for farm loan waiver. The work of farm loan waiver has to begin from February 22. The state government needs more than Rs 10,000 crore to waive farm loan of 25 lakh farmers by March 31.

For the arrangement of this fund, a provision of farm loan waiver would be made in the third supplementary budget in the assembly session. The grants given to other departments have been curtailed in the second supplementary budget for the provision of farm loan waiver. The departments have been allocated around half of the funds allocated in the second supplementary budget which is of more than 22,000 crore. The remaining money may be utilized for farm loan waiver.