Kumaraswamy meets farmers’ representatives, seeks 15 days to announce loans waiver plan
Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy and Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara on Wednesday had a meeting with representatives of farmers from 30 districts and sought their suggestions on a loans waiver proposal.
Mr. Kumaraswamy, who sought 15 days to announce the plan, told them that loans of all farmers — irrespective of the loan and size of land ownership — would be waived and the scheme implemented in two phases.
The representatives welcomed the proposal and demanded the waiver of all loans borrowed from national commercial banks and cooperative banks, which stands at Rs. 53,000 crore.
The Chief Minister said he had obtained information on the loans but would take a decision after consultations with the coalition partner, the Congress.
Only after discussions with congress president Rahul Gandhi and bankers, the government would announce the scheme, he told the farmers.
Both Mr. Kumaraswamy and Mr. Parameshwara appealed to them not to take extreme steps.