Hyderabad: The highly anticipated farm loan waiver scheme, offering relief up to Rs 2 lakh, is expected to launch next week. Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy is finalizing guidelines and modalities prepared by the official committee. The scheme’s eligibility criteria remain under discussion, particularly whether it will consider families or individual farmers as units. Notably, Income-Tax payers, state and central government employees, wealthy farmers, and public representatives, including MLAs, MLCs, MPs, and Zilla Parishad Chairpersons, will be excluded from the benefit.
Careful planning ensures minimal backlash from the farming community and opposition. With funds availability being a challenge, officials have mobilized Rs 10,000 crore to kickstart the scheme. Proposals to mortgage premium government lands to raise the required funds are under consideration.
The scheme, needing a total of Rs 30,000 crore, aims to provide relief to poor farmers struggling with debt. The government is collecting data on farmers’ financial conditions, and well-off farmers will have the option to forgo the waiver. Loans taken between December 12, 2018, and December 9, 2023, are eligible, with implementation planned in three or four phases, to be completed by August 15.
