Decision will be out in next two weeks: CM
‘Committed to waive off farm loans’
Bengaluru, May 30: Saying that the government is committed to waive off the farm loans of the farmers in the state, Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy said that the decision would be taken within next two weeks after taking all aspects into account.
After holding a meeting with the representatives of farmers organizations, and opposition leaders at the Conference Hall of the Vidhana Soudha in the city on Wednesday, the CM said that besides maintaining the financial discipline, the government would also take steps to protect the interests of the farmers. The crop loans availed between April 2009 and December 31, 2017 would be waived off. Moreover, he would shortly hold a meeting with the higher officers of nationalized banks on the farmers loans and take a decision, he said.
The decision on waiving off the loans of those who have been paying tax for more than Rs 4 lakh income, availed loans in commercial banks in city corporation limits, doing other business in crop loans and the loans taken by the elected representatives would be taken after getting the suggestion from the experts, he said.
Loan waiver in two phases
In the first phase, the crop loans availed by the small and marginal farmers would be written off. In the second phase, the government would appoint the respective deputy commissioners as nodal officers for waiving the loans and the farmers who have taken loan for purchasing tractors and agriculture equipment and other agriculture activities should give the details about their loans within 10-15 days, he said.
The farmers have taken loan to the tune of Rs 52,000 crore in nationalized banks. In total, the farmers have Rs 1.14 lakh crore loans, in which, the central government also has the share. Besides waiving off the loans, the coalition government would plan a policy to make their life better, the CM said.
Clearance certificate
Loan waiver scheme should not be misused and the middlemen should not get the benefits out of it. In view of this, the government would send the loan Clearance Certificates to the door steps of the farmers. The cabinet would be expanded within a couple of days. As soon as AICC president Rahul Gandhi returned from foreign trip, he would discuss with him the loan waiver plan and waive off the loans, he said.
The farmers should follow the suggestions of the agriculture department on crop pattern based on the available water and rain. This would stop falling of prices of agriculture produces. The government would also take steps to ensure good price to the produces, he said.
The size of the state budget is Rs 2 lakh crore and Rs 52,000 crore should be earmarked for loan waiver. Apart from this, agriculture, irrigation, social welfare, health and other sectors need financial assistance. Just to provide river water instead of bore water for drinking purpose in the state, the government would require over Rs 40,000 crore, he said.
Deputy leader of the Opposition Party Govind M Karjol, Deputy Chief Minister Dr G Parameshwar, Chief Secretary Ratnaprabha, farmers leaders Maruti Manpade, Kodihalli Chandrashekar, Basavarajappa, Sunanda Jayaram, Chamarasa Mali Patil and others were present at the meeting.
‘Don’t do petty politics’
Opposition leader and BJP State president BS Yeddyurappa was invited for the meeting of the farmers leaders to discuss the farm loan waiver issue. But citing the Mangaluru visit, Yeddyurappa did not come to the meeting. But he should stop doing petty politics in the name of farmers by sitting at home, said CM Kumaraswamy.
Experts panel required
Congress-JDS coalition government does not have any difference over loan waiver. Congress is committed to waive off the farm loans. But an experts panel needs to be formed to review the farm loans. Agriculture produces should get good price. Farmers, labourers and youth should lead a good life. The coalition government would try to ensure this, said deputy chief minister Dr G Parameshwar.
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Guv invites Hemant Soren to form govt in Jharkhand, oath on Nov 28
Ranchi, Nov 24: JMM leader Hemant Soren on Sunday met Jharkhand Governor Santosh Kumar Gangwar and staked claim to form the government, soon after leaders of the INDIA bloc in the state unanimously elected him as the legislature party leader.
He resigned as the chief minister, before staking claim to form the government. He will officiate as the acting chief minister till oath is administered to him on November 28.
"I met the governor. We staked claim to form the government, and handed over support letter of alliance partners to him. He invited us to form the government. The swearing in ceremony will be held on November 28," Soren told reporters after meeting Gangwar.
Soren, who drove to the Raj Bhavan in his car, said the governor asked him to officiate as the acting chief minister in the interim.
Soren will be sworn in as the 14th chief minister of Jharkhand, which was carved out of Bihar on November 15, 2000. He will be sworn in as the chief minister for the fourth term.
Earlier, leaders and MLAs of the alliance, during a meeting at Hemant Soren's residence here, unanimously elected him as the coalition's leader.
Congress's Jharkhand in-charge and party general secretary Ghulam Ahmad Mir and senior party leader Rajesh Thakur also attended the meeting, besides legislators of the coalition parties.
In a stunning comeback, Hemant Soren's JMM-led alliance on Saturday stormed to power in Jharkhand for a second consecutive term, winning 56 seats in the 81-member assembly, despite an all-out blitz by the BJP-led NDA which managed only 24 seats.
The majority mark in the state assembly is 41 seats.
Soren retained the Barhait seat by defeating BJP's Gamliyel Hembrom by a margin of 39,791 votes.
Soren had to resign as the CM in January before being arrested by the ED in a money laundering case.
He is out on bail after he was released from jail on June 28 after nearly five months, as the high court granted him bail in a money laundering case linked to an alleged land scam.
He had resigned as the CM shortly before his arrest on January 31 by the ED.
Hemant Soren, the son of JMM supremo Shibu Soren, began his political career in 2009 as a Rajya Sabha member, but his tenure in the upper House of Parliament was short-lived.
He resigned in 2010 to become the deputy chief minister in the BJP-led Arjun Munda government. However, the alliance collapsed in 2012, leading to President's Rule in the state. Despite this setback, Soren's resolve to lead Jharkhand never faltered.
In 2013, Soren became the state's youngest chief minister at the age of 38, forming the government with the support of Congress and RJD.
However, his first term was short-lived, as the BJP took power in 2014, and Soren became leader of the opposition.
A pivotal moment in his career came in 2016 when the BJP-led government attempted to amend laws protecting tribal land, such as the Chotanagpur Tenancy Act and the Santhal Pargana Tenancy Act.
Soren led a massive movement to protect tribal rights, which not only earned him widespread support but also set the stage for his return to power.
In 2019, Soren, with the backing of his allies Congress and RJD, reclaimed the chief minister's office. His JMM party won 30 seats.
This time, the party won 34 seats, its highest ever tally in the 81-member Jharkhand Assembly, signaling the growing popularity of his leadership.
