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Farmers’ plea to Pratibha on loan waiver scheme

R. Madhavan Nair

Kerala Reforms Mission wants it restructured

Kozhikode: A group of farmers of Thiruvambadi, an agricultural belt in Kozhikode, Kerala, have appealed to President Pratibha Patil to prevail upon the government to restructure the debt waiver scheme in a way that it benefited more farmers.

The group, registered as Kerala Reforms Mission, feels that the scheme, which will cost the exchequer Rs.71,000 crore, will not benefit all farmers for whose welfare it is meant.

“A large number of ‘honest’ farmers, who have rescheduled their agricultural loans and are making repayments as advised by banks, will not get the benefit of the scheme. Instead, defaulters will pocket the benefits. It will also encourage non-payment of loans,” Johnson Mathew, chairman of the group, said in an appeal faxed to the President.

Messages to Manmohan, Sonia

Similar messages have been sent to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, chairperson of United Progressive Alliance Sonia Gandhi, Finance Minister P. Chidambaram, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha L.K. Advani, Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan and Leader of the Opposition in State Assembly Oommen Chandy.

“Will feel cheated”

The representation said that many “honest” farmers, who had renewed their loans not because they were rich but because they believed it was improper not to repay loans, would feel cheated if the benefits of the loan waiver scheme were restricted to defaulters.

‘Unfair’

It was unfair to deny those who renewed their loans and were making repayments the benefit of the scheme, as they continued to be in debt and distress, the group said.

The Mission believes instead of writing off the whole unpaid amount of a loan, a ceiling could be imposed on the amount that would be waived under the scheme for an individual. If such restriction was introduced, more farmers, who were burdened with loans, would benefit.

The debt waiver scheme announced by Finance Minister is to be implemented from July 1.

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