UPA Govt., waived off 72,000 farmer loans, why can't Modi Govt.: Congress

After Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government waived off farmers' loans, the Congress Party on Wednesday said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) stated that what was being announced was far too less for the farmers of the state.

Congress leader Randeep Surjewala told ANI that such less amount will not free the farmers from their debt or provide them adequate relief.

"The total loan in UP is 92, 241crore rupees out of which only 36,000 crore rupee is waived of that means even now 56,000 crore money is still to be waived off. So, our question to the UP government and Yogi ji is as to when will they waive off this amount," he said.

He further said the promise of waiving off farmers' loans was made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and now he is trying to get rid of it.

"When the UPA government could waive off 72 thousand then why can't the Modi government? When Modi ji's government could waive off 1 lakh 40 thousand crore business man's loan then can't they do for the farmers?" he asked.

However, the farmers of Uttar Pradesh yesterday expressed happiness and gratitude to the Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath-led government for waiving off their loans.

"We are very happy with the decision taken by the Uttar Pradesh Government. The decision has been taken and we are very happy with this. The government has fulfilled the promise made by them," said Shyamlal Tiwari, a farmer.

Another farmer added that this initiative would decrease the suicide cases being witnessed from quite a long time.

"This is a major relief to the people who was carrying the burden of loans. The decision of government is appreciable. People will be benefited by this," said a farmer.

The Uttar Pradesh Government earlier in the day waived off Rs. 30, 729 crore worth loan amount of the small and marginal farmers of the state.

The decision will be benefitting 2 crore 15 lakh farmers of the state.

Along with this, the government has also decided to forego Non-Performing Assets (NPA) worth Rs. 5,630 crore of eight lakh farmers.

"Uttar Pradesh has 2, 30,00,000 farmers. We have waived off Rs. 30, 729 crore loan amount of the farmers," Cabinet Minister Siddharth Nath Singh told the media here.

Cabinet Minister Shrikant Sharma said that the government has decided to keep a target of 80 lakh tonnes of wheat purchase.

"All the district Magistrates (DMs) have been instructed to purchase more where there is more produce," Sharma said.

Also, 7,000 purchase centres would be opened in the state.

Singh also intimated that the government would introduce 'farmer bond' for the welfare of the farming community.