Vicious cycle of polls, loan waivers must end to empower farmers: PM Modi

The government is now considering three options for a relief package to help farmers suffering because of low crop prices at a cost of as much as Rs 3 trillion

On the first day of 2019, which will see the country prepare for the Lok Sabha elections in less than three months, Prime Minister Narendra Modi presented a veritable report card of his government’s performance and the contours of his election campaign. He detailed various initiatives to curb corruption and black money, improve the lives of the poor, and address aspirations of the middle class, but ruled out a nationwide farm loan waiver, terming such promises as “chunavi (poll) stunts”.

While Modi said his government had not stopped, and would not stop, state governments from writing off farm debts, he