Bhopal: In a major relief to debt-ridden farmers, the Kamal Nath government in Madhya Pradesh has set December 12, 2018, as the deadline to assess outstanding crop loans for the waiver scheme.
Earlier the Congress had announced that it will waive off agrarian loans up to March 31, 2018, drawing severe criticism from the BJP and some farmer groups. The government was shaken up as a couple of farmers ended their lives after finding out they were ineligible for the waiver scheme because of the date range.
The decision to extend the deadline was taken during a cabinet meeting held on Saturday. With the extension, the number of farmers who are expected to benefit goes up to 55 lakh, officials said, adding that the loans extended to small and marginal farmers would be waived on first priority.
Farm loan waiver was one of the topmost pre-poll promises of the Congress party in Madhya Pradesh.
Briefing the media about the decision, Sports and Youth Welfare minister Jitu Patwari said that three different types of forms would be distributed to debtors through Gram Sabha for loan waiver. One would be for those who have Aadhar identification and second for those who possess some other kind of identifications and third for those who have none.
“We would also publish a list of co-operative and nationalized banks whose loans would be waived off,” said the minister, adding that loan waiver certificates would be distributed from February 22.
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