State panel questions Fadnavis govt’s financial aid to farmers
MUMBAI: In a major embarrassment to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, a state-government panel on Saturday questioned the massive delays in disbursing Rs 10,000 ‘immediate relief’ as part of a farm loans waiver scheme announced to protesting farmers over a month ago.
The Vasantrao Naik Sheti Swavalambi Mission (VNSSM) Chairman Kishore Tiwari has said that contrary to claims made by the government to provide ‘immediate assistance’ to all the eligible nine million farmers, barely a fraction - or 3,200 peasants - have been handed over the amount so far. “This has made a mockery of the farmers, who are running from pillar to post since nearly 40 days for the promised emergency assistance of Rs 10,000. Now, the sowing season is ending and even the monsoon will depart soon,” Tiwari told IANS.
The remaining farmers who did not get aid continue to suffer or commit suicide, he pointed out.
“Despite the state government offering a guarantee to the Reserve Bank of India, a majority of the public sector banks have not initiated steps to disburse this small amount which could provide big relief to farmers in this critical sowing season,” Tiwari said.
So far, only the VidarbhaKonkan Gramin Bank, Maharashtra Gramin Bank and DCCBs have disbursed the Rs 10,000 to around 3,200 farmers.
The financial aid announcement was made by the state government on June 11 after an unprecedented 11day strike by farmers shook the political establishment. Tiwari said on 14 June the government issued an order asking farmers to collect the Rs 10,000 from banks the following day (15 June).
He pointed out t hat “Strangely, the government provided the bank guarantee only on 4 July.” He demanded that the government must fix accountability for this on the bureaucrats who briefed the ministers at the time of negotiations with the farmers leaders, “to avoid similar humiliation in future”.
Each bank was required to get the board’s approval for the 4 Julyguarantee and then initiate the process to disburse the money.
Accusing the banks and bureaucracy of “a hostile attitude” towards farmers, Tiwari said that so far the PSU banks have disbursed barely 15 per cent of the crop loans targeted by RBI-NABARD for the current Kharif season.