Madhya Pradesh government has received complaints from many farmers across the state that the amount of loan mentioned against their names in the list of beneficiaries was much less than the loans they had taken from the cooperative societies and banks, said official sources.

The complaints have given a shot in the opposition BJP’s arms. The latter has questioned the state government’s intention asking whether it really wants to provide relief to farmers.

As promised by the Congress in its manifesto during the state assembly elections held in November last year the Congress government has initiated the process of loan waiver up to Rs 2 lakh per farmer. The state government claims that about 5.5 million farmers would be benefitted with the government decision on loan waiver, which will bear the additional financial burden of about Rs 50,000 crore.

In the process of the loan waiver a list of farmers with their names and amount of loans against their names is being pasted at village panchayat buildings to help the farmers know if their names exist in the list of beneficiaries.

A farmer Shivlal Kataria, a resident of Nipania Baijnath village in Agar Malwa district, 200 kilometres north west of Bhopal, claimed that he had just Rs 13 mentioned against his name in the list despite the fact he had taken a loan of Rs 23,815.

Talking to the media persons Kataria said: “The list has my name but the amount mentioned against my name is merely Rs 13. The state government had promised that it would waive our loan up to Rs 2 lakh. Hence, I expected that all my loan will be waived but I got a shock when I saw Rs 13 mentioned against my name.”

Another resident from the same village Shivnarayan also has Rs 13 mentioned against his name, as he claimed, though he had taken a loan of Rs 20,000 from the cooperative society.

Union minister of state for youth affairs Rajyavardhan Rathore tweeted on Thursday, “Congress’ rampant misgovernance in Madhya Pradesh: farmer gets Rs 13 instead of Rs 24,000 as loan waiver.”

State BJP vice-president Vijesh Lunawat said: “We have been saying right from the day one that the Congress’s intention is not good. It has never been and it will never be a pro-farmer. The government is only misleading farmers in view of ensuing Lok Sabha polls.”

Farmers leader Anil Yadav said: “The government itself is not clear about rules and regulations. Many farmers have complained that they have an outstanding loan of more than Rs 2 lakh but the amount shown in the list is insignificant amount like Rs 13, Rs 25, Rs 80 etc”

Cooperative department principal secretary Ajit Kesari said, “There are many farmers who are confused on the cut-off date. The cut-off date is March 31, 2018. The loan which was taken after March 31, 2018 will not be waived. The farmers who have repaid the loan before the cut-off date will not get the benefit of the scheme. However, there are farmers who repaid the loan but still have some meagre amount of outstanding loan left in their name. This is the amount which is appearing against their names.”

Cooperative minister Govind Singh said, “The list pasted is not the final list. The farmers can lodge their complaints and the government will conduct an inquiry into it.”

First Published: Jan 24, 2019 21:08 IST