Bhopal: The process of filling application forms for farm loan waiver concluded on Tuesday. Around 51 lakh farmers, out of 55.61 farmers, who took loan, have filled the application form. In the first phase of loan waiver, 4.5 lakh farmers would not avail the benefit of loan waiver.
The government at the beginning of the farm loan waiver process, had put a condition that tax-payers, public representatives and government servants would not get its benefit. This condition has made around 4.5 lakh farmers ineligible to get loan waiver.
After filing of application forms, farmers would be divided into categories for loan waiver. It is under consideration to waive loan amounting to Rs 50,000 in one go. The government had made provision of Rs 5000 crore in the supplementary budget for farm loan waiver.
The government intends to send some amount in the bank accounts of maximum number of farmers as waiver before code of conduct for Lok Sabha polls coming into effect. It is also under consideration to send first installment of waiver in the bank accounts of the farmers, who took loan of Rs 2 lakh.
They may get Rs 50,000 as first installment. The government is also mulling over waiving loans of some farmers who had taken loan of Rs 2 lakh, with the intent to send a message that the government wants to waive farm loan up to Rs 2 lakh. Agriculture minister Sachin Yadav said valid application forms would be scrutinized.
He said all farmers found eligible on the standards set, would get benefit of farm loan waiver. Yadav said the finance department is also in talks with Banks about waiving of the farm loans, which have turned into Non-Performing Assets (NPAs). Yadav said farmers would start getting the benefit of farm loan waiver from February 22.