Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru

Bengaluru, December 30: State agriculture minister NH Shivashankara Reddy has opined that though waiving off farmer loans is a good step, it’s not a long term solution for farmers in distress.

In an interview to a media channel the minister stressed on the need of technology as a long-term solution for farmer issues. He said that the state is mulling agriculture methods especially the Israeli model with better technology to improve agriculture.

Reddy said that the state government has already waived off loans taken by farmers through cooperative societies and in the next step is planning to waive off loans availed from commercial banks.

Reddy expressed concern that the state did not get good rainfall this year too and 88% of Karnataka’s talukas have been declared drought-hit.

While the loan waiver scheme will cost the state close to Rs 45,000 crores and benefit close to 50 lac farmers, the state government told the legislative assembly on December 12 that only 800 farmers have been benefited so far. “The delay is not due to shortage of funds but due to huge sum involved and the time taken to persuade banks,” Reddy asserted.

When asked about PM Modi’s retaliation to Karnataka’s farm loan waiver terming it "cruelest joke on farmers", Reddy lashed out asking if the PM has kept his word in the last past four and half years?

“The PM has not announced any good policy. Even the Fasal Bhima Yojana seems to be faulty. Karnataka has taken the lead in waiving off the farm loans. The message has spread and loan waivers were announced in the recent assembly elections too. Farm loan waiver would be the focus for 2019 polls,” he stressed.

On farmers suicides, Reddy said that loan burden alone is not the cause in all suicides. Other factors also play a role.