Waive agricultural loans, open farmers’ bank: opposition to govt

New Delhi: The government should waive farm loans and open exclusive banks for farmers on lines of the women’s bank, to help tide over the agrarian crisis facing the country, opposition parties demanded in Rajya Sabha on Friday.

A Janata Dal (United) member also wanted the two major parties — BJP and Congress, to join hands to implement the recommendations of the M.S. Swaminathan Committee to provide much-needed succour to farmers, if they can do so on allowing FDI in insurance and corporate globalisation.

Resuming discussion on agrarian crisis and suicide by a farmer at a political rally in national capital earlier this week, Naresh Agrawal of Samajwadi Party said the government should show large-heartedness to help farmers who have been hit by the vagaries of weather.

Crop insurance, he said, should be a responsibility of the Centre and state governments and Food Corporation of India (FCI) should procure all foodgrain, irrespective of quality, brought by farmers.

“Loan waiver will not be a big favour to farmers... previously it was done keeping elections in mind, this time it should be done keeping farmers in mind,” he said. Stating that bad debt or non-performing assets (NPAs) of banks have risen from 2% of all loans to 6%, he said industralists and not farmers, are responsible for this increase.

“Please announce (the formation of) a Kisan Bank which will provide loan to farmers at 1-2% interest rate,” he said recalling how the government had formed Mahila Bank. Stating that a solution needs to be found to the crisis, he demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should reply to the debate on the issue.

K.C. Tyagi of JD-U said Gajender’s suicide was “a sacrifice for the cause of farmers of the entire nation” and held various ministries responsible for their current plight. He said if both the BJP and Congress can get together on insurance and corporation globalisation, “why can’t they join hands to implement the M S Swaminathan Commission report on farmers.”