
Critics argue that the Revanth Reddy government is not walking the talk. Despite making tall promises of waiving Rs. 2 lakh crop loans at one go and heavily publicizing the same, the reality paints a different picture.
On Thursday, the government announced in the newspapers that it would simultaneously waive crop loans up to Rs. 2 lakhs. However, by Thursday evening, the Chief Minister announced that only loans up to Rs.1 lakh would be waived.
Later, it was clarified that loans up to Rs.1.5 lakhs would be waived by the end of the month and up to Rs. 2 lakhs in August. This inconsistency between the government’s announcements and the Chief Minister’s statements has drawn criticism. Farmers are protesting, claiming the Rs.2 lakh simultaneous waiver is false.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi released the ‘Farmer Declaration’ in Warangal, promising that once the Congress government is formed, it will waive Rs. 2 lakh of farmers’ loans and provide investment assistance of Rs. 15,000 per acre per year to farmers and tenant farmers.
Subsequently, on December 9, Revanth Reddy stated that Rs. 2 lakh in loans would be waived in one go. However, after seven months and nine days, the debt relief to farmers has been paid in three installments. Farmers allege that Rythu Bharosa funds have been diverted for the loan waiver without any assurance, even after the beginning of the crop season.