TN CM announces farm loan waiver

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu chief minister Edappadi Palaniswami on Friday announced a farm loan waiver of ₹12,110 crore aimed at benefitting nearly 1.6 million farmers.

“I am also a farmer, I have a lot of affection for farmers. It is my responsibility to help farmers to continue their work,” the chief minister said on the last day of the assembly session, adding that the farm loan waiver scheme will come into effect with immediate effect to reduce the burden on debt-ridden farmers reeling from the Covid-19 pandemic, two cyclones (Nivar and Buveri), and the heavy monsoon since November 2020.

The decision has come in the backdrop of massive protests across the country against the Centre’s three new farm laws. The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, which is in alliance the Centre’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party for the upcoming assembly elections, has supported the three laws. The opposition Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, meanwhile, has criticized the state government’s stance and supported the farmers’ protest.

Reacting to the announcement, the DMK, which has boycotted the session, said that the demand to waive farm loans was earlier raised by the DMK.

Party president MK Stalin said, “He (Palaniswami) did not waive the loan for the benefit of the farmers. The people of Tamil Nadu are well aware that he did it ahead of the elections for selfish reasons.”

On Friday, the CM also announced that all the cases filed during the pro-Jallikattu protests in January 2017 will be withdrawn. The CM also reiterated his government’s promise of providing free Covid-19 vaccine. Elections are likely in before May in Tamil Nadu.