Pics: Umesh Marpalli
Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (HB)
Udupi, Sep 19: Demanding fulfillment of various demands, the members of Sahakara Bharati Udupi staged a protest in front of DC’s office at Rajathadri, Manipal here on Tuesday, September 18.
Addressing the protestors, Raviraj Hegde said that the farm loan waiver announced by the state government has not yet become a reality.
“The government should change the notification with regard to waiving farm loans. As per the conditions, all farmers need to avail the benefit. There are 22,517 farmers in Udupi, who are eligible to get the benefit. About Rs 250 crore is disbursed as loan given by cooperative societies in Udupi. About Rs 234.15 crore of loan on lost crops is pending to be paid to societies. As per the conditions, about 16,000 farmers will get loan waiver benefit. Hence, amendments are necessary in notification,” he said.
“The State government has pushed farmers to streets and put their lives into trouble. The credit cooperative societies have sanctioned loans for the needy farmers of Undivided Dakshina Kannada, but now that banks have lost capacity to loans,” said state co-organising leader CB Harish Acharya.
Yashpal Suvarna, president of undivided Dakshina Kannada fish marketing federation said, “Chief minister Kumaraswamy did not keep up to his promises. He has completed 100 days in power, but failed to fulfill the demands of farmers. Let him follow his promises. If the State government does not change the notification of loan waiver, the members of Sahakari Bharathi Udupi will go to Bengaluru to protest.”
The demands are:
• The state government must withdraw its notification on cut off amount on fixed deposits.
• It should issue notification for debt waiver of cooperative society and commercial banks immediately.
• The fund amount has to be released to credit cooperative banks.
• A public opinion should be collected by organising meeting of leaders of credit societies and farmers.
• It should withdraw notification on taking loans through Rupay card. All credit banks do not have such facility. So the loan service policy should be continued as earlier.
Sumana Sharan, state leader, Bola Sadashiva Shetty, district president, B Madhusudhan Nayak, district general secretary, Manjunath S K, district general secretary, Cherkady Ashok Kumar Shetty, district committee member and others were present.