Nashik: Dashing the hopes of the combined opposition led farmers’ morcha for a blanket waiver of all loans of farmers, it now appears that only crop loans will be waived off and farmers will have to repay medium and long-term loans given for other work, according to a June 12 circular sent by Nashik District Central Cooperative Bank (NDCC) to its divisional branches. The farmers’ agitation had been holding out for a blanket waiver on all loans given to any person fulfilling the criteria of a ‘farmer.’
Shetkari Sanghatana (SS) president Anil Ghanwat said that those farmers, who had availed loans for wells, tractors, pipes, goat and poultry farms, green houses and other projects are not likely to get the benefit of the waiver. “They are also in losses and should get their loans waived off,” he demanded.
The NDCC circular (copy available), to its divisional heads has asked for information on crop loans availed by farmers from various credit societies up to March 31, 2017 and up to 30 June 2017. The information is sought on 3 major points, - amount of crop loan remaining and amount of arrears, restructured amount of crop loan and
rephased amount of crop loan. The divisional offices have been directed to give the information in a given format.
The circular also specifically, mentions that only crop loans should be entered. No information about medium and long term loans should be entered in the format. If information about medium and long term loan is mentioned in the format, the concerned secretary and bank inspector will be held personally responsible, according to the circular.
