The BJP-led government in Uttar Pradesh waived off crop loans of up to Rs 1 lakh of small and marginal farmers in the state on Tuesday. With this the party has fulfilled a key promise it made before the February-March assembly polls. The decsion that will benefit nearly 21 million farmers, was taken during chief minister Yogi Adityanath’s fisrt cabinet sitting.
Around 92.5% of the state’s farmers comes under the small and marginal categories. Moreover, the cabinet also decided to disregard Rs 5,630 crore in non-performing assets (NPAs) of 700,000 farmers. The waivers would together cost the government Rs 36,359 crore.
Significantly, the BJP had promised loan waiver to marginal farmers in its election manifesto. PM Modi and CM Adityanath had said the decision would be taken at the first meeting of the cabinet. “The decision was in accordance with PM Modi’s announcement to provide relief to farmers,” said State minister Siddharth Nath Singh.
While Bundelkhand Kisan Union national president FK Dharma applauded the loan weaver saying this was the first step towards easing out a key crisis faced by farmers, Samajwadi Party president and former chief minister Akhilesh Yadav was not happy.
“A promise of complete loan waiver was made. “Millions of farmers were feeling cheated with the ceiling of Rs 1 lakh,” he said.
The Congress expected the BJP will waive off loans of farmers to the tune of Rs 92,000 crore. Party leader Randeep Singh Surjewala said, “The BJP has waived off loans of Rs 140,000 crore of big industrial houses and industrialists. Will it waive off loans of Rs 92,000 crore of UP farmers?”
