Farmers trapped in private debt

Govt yet to allocate ryot money owed to moneylenders in Amravati

Despite Amravati region witnessing highest number of farmer suicides, the state government has not allocated a single rupee to private moneylenders to free farmers from their debt. Even in Aurangabad, which ranks second in terms of farmer suicides, the state has distributed a mere Rs 1.32 crore to private moneylenders.

According to an official from the agriculture ministry, the district level committee has approved of a plan to distribute '6.71 crore among 423 private moneylenders across the Amravati division, the amount has not been disbursed from the district treasury and distributed.

“The highest amount — Rs 6.70 crore — has been approved in Amravati district to benefit 3,500 farmers who are indebted to 349 private moneylenders,” the official said, adding, “Not a singe proposal has been approved by the district-level committee in Yeotmal district to implement the scheme to make farmers debt-free.”

In Yeotmal, a taluka-level committee recommended that Rs 71.35 lakh be distributed among 38 approved moneylenders to benefit 126 farmers.

Till October end, only Rs 1,32,28,000 has been disbursed among 10 private moneylenders within 19 districts from Vidarbha and Marathwada region.

The official said that the amount that has been disbursed is limited to Aurangabad district only. The district-level committee has approved the distribution of Rs 1.32 crore to to 10 moneylenders, which would benefit 716 farmers.

Minister for agriculture Eknath Khadse said he would look into matter and find out why the approved amount has not been disbursed among private moneylenders. “We have committed to free farmers from debt involving private moneylenders and we have approved more than Rs 150 crore for the said purpose,” Mr Khadse said.

Kishor Tiwari, chief of Vasantrao Naik Shetkari Swawlanban Mission, said that the stringent criteria to select moneylenders and the farmers are behind the failure of the scheme.

“The criteria is this: both moneylenders and farmers who want to benefit from the scheme should be from same taluka. This is not the case in several cases and that’s why farmers have not benefited from the scheme,” said Mr Tiwari.

He further said that ‘negative tendencies’ among government employees is another reason behind the failure of the scheme.

“Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis too agreed that half of the administration does not cooperate government. I think all such babus are in Vidarbha and they should be replaced,” Mr Tiwari said.