Hyderabad: State agriculture minister Tummala Nageshwara Rao announced on July 29 that the Telangana government, under Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, has decided to waive loans ranging from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 1.5 lakh. This development will be broadcast via video conference across all Rythu Vedikas.
As part of the initiative, the "Rythu Nestham" programme will address various queries raised by farmers, with bankers and officials providing clarifications. Minister Rao urged farmers to participate in the programme.
Rao criticised past governments for their inconsistent agricultural policies, noting that farmers have faced frequent policy shifts, from discouraging cotton and red gram cultivation to rejecting paddy. He highlighted that the previous government's loan waivers were essentially interest waivers and failed to benefit many farmers.
In contrast, Rao promised that the current government would provide genuine loan waivers, support diverse crop cultivation, and ensure minimum support prices (MSP) with a well-defined plan.