The crop loan waiver process began in Telangana amidst significant doubts and uncertainties. The situation is confusing, with unclear information on who received the waiver and the reasons behind the decisions.
The Congress government announced on Thursday that loans up to Rs. 2 lakh would be waived off. However, the lack of a detailed and publicized list of beneficiaries has led to confusion among farmers. Many lists were not displayed in various places, and farmers were not informed about the status of their loan waiver.
Farmers are questioning why their names are missing from the list, despite having loans less than Rs. one lakh. They are seeking clarity on whether their loans will be waived at a later date. The release of the loan waiver list has caused confusion in villages, with some receiving the list late and others still waiting. The government’s partial release of information has added to the difficulties, as farmers do not know how many loans were taken, the amounts, or the number of waivers granted. Only the names of those whose loans were waived were released, leaving many farmers worried.
Bankers and officials also face a lack of information, unable to explain why certain loans were not waived. They have asked farmers to wait for two more days for further details. In the past, farmers could find out why their loans were not waived, but this transparency is now lacking.
Farmers are also concerned that while the waiver funds are being deposited in other banks, they are not reaching the Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS). PACS officials have stated it might take another two to three days for the funds to be credited to farmers’ accounts. The waiver amount will be credited to the PACS account in DCCBs from the Co-operative Bank TESCOB, and then to the farmers’ accounts.
There are also issues with the ration card rule, causing unfair treatment to many farmers. In Indaram village of Jaipur mandal, Mancherial district, a family with multiple loans totaling Rs. 2 lakh received no waiver due to the ration card provision, which treats the family as a single unit. They need to pay Rs. 20 thousand to receive the waiver.
In Medchal-Malkajgiri district, 7,383 farmers are waiting for loan waivers, but only 2,667 families received waivers in the first phase. In Nirmal district’s Mudhole mandal, 1,993 people received waivers across various villages, affecting 20 to 30 percent of farmers in each village. In the old Medak district, 1,53,168 farmers exist, with varying numbers receiving waivers across different districts.
In Karimnagar district, no loans were waived under the Jammikunta PACS, affecting 1,016 farmers. In Mahabubnagar district, out of more than one lakh borrowers, only 30 percent received waivers, amounting to Rs. 211 crores for 39,380 farmers.
Similarly, in Wanaparthy, Gadwal, and Narayanpet districts, only a portion of the farmers received waivers. Nalgonda district saw Rs. 453 crores benefiting 83 thousand people, but specific details were unclear for many cooperative societies.
Overall, the partial and unclear release of information has left many farmers worried and confused about the status of their loan waivers.