Waiver of short term crop loans from banks in process, says Rajasthan govt

JAIPUR: The state government informed the assembly on Friday that waiver of short-term crop loans of farmers of nationalized, scheduled and regional rural banks in the state is under process.
Planning minister Mamta Bhupesh said according to its December 19, 2018 order, the state government is in favour of waiver of short-term crop loans. She said on the recommendation of the committee of inter-departmental ministers and officials, the cooperative and planning department has been made the nodal department. The state government has written to the Centre on numerous occasion for a one-time settlement loan from these banks.
The minister while replying to a question informed that in response to the letters, the Centre has refused to provide financial assistance for loan waiver to farmers. She said the chief minister had also written letters to the PM on January 2, 2019, December 21, 2020 and December 27, 2021. Apart from this, the chief secretary also wrote to the secretary of the finance ministry on September 21, 2022, requesting cooperation in loan waiver. She said in response to the letters, the Centre gave only one reply on April 11, 2022, in which it refused to provide financial aid for loan waiver.
She said the state government sent a proposal of a loan waiver on a 90:10 ratio to the corporate offices of commercial banks, scheduled banks and regional rural banks on November 9, 2021.