After Farmers Protest Arrest Warrant From Banks, HDK Launches Pilot Project to Roll Out Loan Waivers

Bengaluru: Karnataka chief minister HD Kumaraswamy announced a pilot project of the farm loan waiver scheme on Monday, after farmers across the state took out protests over the arrest warrants issued against them by a bank for failing to repay loans.

Kumaraswamy said the pilot project would be implemented in Sedam and Chikkaballapur taluks.

He assured the farmers that he is reviewing the progress of the loan waiver scheme personally and the officials are working on war foot to implement it. "Eligible farmers need not panic," he said following the protests.

A complete farm loan waiver was the key pre-poll promise of Kumaraswamy, but it has faced several delays that have been attributed to the coalition government in the state.

The CM’s office said a team led by the commissioner of Land Records and survey settlements has developed a software especially for the loan waiver scheme and steps are being taken to implement the scheme transparently.

Nationalised banks have provided details of loanee accounts and this information is uploaded in the software and is being verified, a statement from the office said.

Giving details of the pilot project, the government said once banks complete verification of information, farmers will be asked to visit the respective branches from where they had taken the loan and furnish documents and information such as Aadhaar card, ration card and details of land they own from November 12 onwards.

The process will be later started in other talukas.

In the cooperative sector verification process of 20 lakh loan accounts is under progress in 6,000 branches, which is expected to complete by the end of this month, the statement said.

Deputy commissioners are appointed as nodal officers for the implementation of this scheme and soon a helpline will be launched to guide the farmers, the CM said.

After farmers in at least eight districts protested outside branches on Monday, the bank has also decided to withdraw close to 140 cases against the farmers for some of which arrest warrants were issued.