Praja Sankalpa Yatra Diary, Day 95: What Happened To Your Promise Of Loan Waivers To Farmers, Chandrababu?

Hajispuram, Prakasam district: This morning, a delegation of Fishermen’s Co-operative Association came and met me. They expressed deep anguish at the prevailing state of affairs and their suffering at the hands of the TDP government. Earning a livelihood out of their traditional occupation, became a challenge for them thanks to the highhandedness and authoritarian ways of TDP leaders. They said—“Sir, we belong to the Yanadi community among STs. We used to make a living by fishing in the Mopadu reservoir and in lakes around it on behalf of our Co-operative Society. However, after the Chandrababu Naidu government came to power, TDP leaders stepped in and their intervention has made life impossible for us. Against all rules and regulations, they summarily removed the President of our society and other members from their posts. They also enrolled ineligible members without conducting the required skills test into the Society and have swindled crores of rupees in the bargain.”

They further lamented--“We’re prevented from doing our day-to-day work. The TDP leaders brought in workers from other districts. Then, with the help of the local police, they took our place and denying us our rights, are fishing in all these areas, which were traditionally ours, preventing ST fishermen from carrying out their rightful fishing activity. As per rules we are supposed to get our share in the earnings from fishing here, but that is not being given to us. Not a rupee has come to us so far. When we questioned their ways, we were implicated in false cases and are being threatened and tormented by the police. Even legal recourse has not helped because they disregard court orders, as well.” The manner in which the Telugu Desam government treats the most deprived segments of society including Dalits and STs is shocking! To deny them their right to livelihood is an atrocity beyond description. How long will they continue to act in this high-handed manner and go on with their tyrannical ways?

Read: Tired of Harassment by TDP Top Leadership, Dalit Sarpanch joins YSRCP

At Gudevaripalem Kothuru, Chenchayya pointed to his flock of sheep. He took me there and said, “Sir, there has been no rainfall and agriculture has become impossible in these dry conditions. Water scarcity has made our life even more difficult. There is no water for animals and no grass for them to feed upon. The medicines offered by the government have not been given and this is the case with the promised insurance, as well. I really don’t know what I’m going to do for a living or how I will continue to survive.” When I heard him pour out his difficulties, I was taken aback by the insensitivity of the Chandrababu Naidu government. I offered some words of solace, and telling him that better days would soon be here upon all of us when Rajanna Rajyam would be ushered in, I urged him to be more optimistic. This is the apathy of the government towards agriculture, dairy farming and sheep rearing. The farmers neither have favourable conditions to continue their activities nor does the government support them in any way, through insurance or other means.

Kesavaswami of Agraharam faced the same problem that thousands of other farmers like him have been facing. The promised loan waiver did not come through in his case too. In 2012 against his passbooks, he borrowed Rs.60,000. He had been issued a certificate of loan waiver eligibility by the bank, but in reality, his loan has not been waived. Several visits to government offices and the bank in question, proved to be fruitless and his patience had reached the end of its tether. He once finally managed to meet the Chief Minister and apprised him of this problem. What did the Chief Minister do? He patted him on his back and told him that, “it will be done, Brother”. The poor farmer says—“I still don’t know what got done and what happened,”. He said that not a penny had been waived under the loan waiver scheme, as promised.

Srihari Rao of NN Kandrika had a similar tale to narrate. In 2011, he borrowed Rs.88,000 pledging his gold and in 2013 mortgaging some more gold, he borrowed Rs.88,000 again. Not a paisa of his loan has been waived so far. He had filed appeals with government authorities at all levels, to no avail. Finally, he also submitted a petition in the CM’s Camp Office. He thought that at least his submission in the CMO would elicit some response, but nothing came of it. In the end, deceived by Chandrababu Naidu’s false promise of loan waiver he gave up agriculture altogether. “Sir I was scared that the gold I had pledged in the bank would be auctioned and so I borrowed money and repaid the loan,” he said. “I have now borrowed from other sources and am neck deep in debt. I was compelled to give the gold I managed to release from the bank to these lenders." This is the case of a farmer who submitted a petition on the denial of loan waiver in his case to the Chief Minister! Where else can he go to seek relief?

Finally, I have a question for the chief minister— you had promised total, unconditional loan waivers after coming to power. The total loan amounts in the agriculture sector now add up to Rs.87,612 crores. Additionally, there are committees, conditions and other restrictions and finally the amount has been pegged down to Rs. 24,000 crores. Isn’t it true that even this amount is not being waived? Isn’t it true that the amount waived doesn’t cover the interest levied on the loan? Is this your much-touted loan waiver scheme? Isn’t it unjust to drive farmers into the abyss of poverty after promising loan waivers to them only to renege on your word later?