Telangana govt gave unparalleled crop loan waiver of Rs 18k cr: CM Reddy

The Congress government in Telangana has waived crop loans to the tune of about Rs 18,000 crore benefitting 22 lakh farmers within 10 months after coming to power, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy said on Saturday.

He also claimed it to be the biggest crop loan waiver ever made by a state government in such a short period, in India since independence. CM Reddy said that he was ready for a debate on this feat with either PM Narendra Modi or BRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao.

Addressing a public meeting at Mahabubnagar organised as part of the first anniversary celebrations of the Congress government in the state, CM Revanth Reddy said, with over Rs 2,747 crore released on Saturday, the government has waived loans to the tune of Rs 21,000 crore benefitting 25 lakh farmers' families.

 

"Since Independence, is there any state in the country that waived loans to the tune of Rs 17,869 crore for over 22,22,062 farmers in 10 months? Are you ready for debate Narendra Modi ji or K Chandrasekhar Rao," he challenged.

The Congress government fulfilled the loan waiver promise with the blessings of Congress leader Sonia Gandhi and as guided by the 'guarantee' of Rahul Gandhi, he said.

The previous BRS regime spent Rs 11,000 crore on loan waiver in five years but Rs 8,500 crore in it had to be spent on paying interest. The actual amount paid for the benefit of ryots was only Rs 2,500 crore, he alleged.

Telangana has produced 1.53 crore metric tons of paddy during this season which is the highest for any state in the country since independence, he said. Loan waiver, MSP, free power for farming, insurance, bonus of Rs 500 for paddy is the history and "patent" of Congress, he added.

Revanth Reddy, who hails from Mahabubnagar district, said the district got the opportunity to see one of its natives becoming Chief Minister after 70 years. Burgula Ramakrishna Rao from Mahabubnagar had served as Chief Minister of the erstwhile Hyderabad state.

Referring to several leaders in the past announcing that they would "adopt" the backward Mahabubnagar district and push its development, he said the district need not wait for someone else anymore to ensure its development as he holds the Chief Minister's post now.

Making his commitment to the development of the district, he said he would urge his cabinet colleagues to provide, if need be, Rs 20,000 crore annually for the prosperity of Mahabubnagar during the five years.

Speaking on the November 11 attack on government officials in his assembly constituency of Kodangal during a public hearing for land acquisition, Reddy urged the people not to fall into the trap of BRS leaders who try to provoke them.

He alleged that KCR, his son and BRS Working President K T Rama Rao, and former minister T Harish Rao were trying to create hurdles in his efforts to establish industries in Kodangal by providing plenty of compensation to the land owners.

He, however, vowed to get funds, development projects, and irrigation for Mahabubnagar by defeating the "conspiracies" of BRS leaders.