The data provided by the State Bank of India (SBI) has exposed discrepancies in the claims made by CM Revanth Reddy regarding the crop loan waiver program.
While the CM repeatedly announced that the loan waiver process was completed for farmers with loans under Rs. 2 lakh, the reality appears different.
According to SBI’s figures, 10,02,085 farmers have loans below Rs. 2 lakh, but only 4,95,681 farmers have received loan waiver, which is less than 50%. Additionally, there has been no clear disclosure from the government on the total amount waived or the number of farmers who benefited.
Some farmers, distressed over the incomplete loan waiver, have tragically passed away due to heart attacks or suicide. Protests have erupted across the state, with farmers claiming they are eligible for the loan waiver, yet their loans weren’t cleared according to the government’s criteria.
In response to these concerns, former minister Harish Rao filed a Right to Information (RTI) request with SBI, seeking clarity on how many farmers have actually received the loan waiver. SBI provided a detailed response, revealing that only about half of the eligible farmers have benefited so far.
As per SBI’s data (as of June 1, 2024)
- Farmers with loans under Rs. 1 lakh: 5,74,137
- Farmers who availed of loan waiver: 2,99,445 (Rs. 1,746.55 crore)
- Farmers with loans between Rs. 1 lakh and Rs. 1.5 lakh: 2,62,341
- Farmers who availed of loan waiver: 1,30,915 (Rs. 1,584.60 crore)
- Farmers with loans between Rs. 1.5 lakh and Rs. 2 lakh: 1,65,607
- Farmers who availed of loan waiver: 65,321 (Rs. 1,093.95 crore)
- Farmers with loans above Rs. 2 lakh: 89,373
- Farmers who availed of loan waiver: No information provided