Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (MS/SP) 

Bengaluru, Jun 11: H D Kumaraswamy, chief minister (CM) of the state, has given clarification on the reports that was published in certain media with regards to the farm loan waiver. 

Kumaraswamy clarified that the confusion has occurred due to the error that was done by the nationalized banks of Yadagiri district in the classification of the loans taken by farmers. 

This matter has come to light during the audit done by the state government, which is done after every waiver of loan. Till now the confusion has occurred in the bank accounts of 13,988 farmers. Kumaraswamy said that the local banks have been asked to give clarification on the error that they have committed. 

"The state government is conducting the loan waiver of farmers in a transparent and responsible manner. This confusion has not occurred from the end of the state government. In addition, there is no relation between the recently held elections and the error that has occurred in farm loan waiver. I humbly request the media to publish such news only after verifying the facts about issues of this kind," said Kumaraswamy. 

H D Kumaraswamy further clarified that "The money that was deposited before the Lok Sabha elections, by the state government, under the loan waiver scheme, has gone back to the government exchequer due to the error committed by the bank officers while classifying the loans. Due to this, chaos has prevailed among the farmers. So a meeting of state-level bankers is called at 2.30 pm on June 14 to discuss this issue." 

Earlier report 

Yadagiri: Loan waiver scheme - Amounts reversed by government - farmers feel cheated

The state government has been shouting from the rooftops since a year about having waived farm loans and ridding agricultural families of their burden of debt. But many farmers in this district feel cheated as the amount credited into their accounts have been found to have been reversed. 

The loan waiver amount which was credited to the account of a farmer from Shahapur taluk in the district was debited and returned to the government some days later. The amount was credited to the accounts of some farmers before the Lok Sabha election, but after the election, the money has been found siphoned away. 

Farmer leaders have been alleging that money credited to accounts of about 200 farmers from the district has been retransferred. Shivappa, who has account with State Bank of India Sagar village in Shahapur, had received R 43,535 into his account during April. After the Lok Sabha result was announced on May 23, the amount got refunded from his account. But the officials of this bank say that there was mistake in sending the list of eligible beneficiaries and some farmers got amount in excess of their actual loan liability. After verification, excess amount was credited back, they have explained. 

Shivappa said that an amount of Rs 50,000 had been received on February 28, and another amount of Rs 43,535 had been credited on April 17. On May 2, Rs 43,535 was refunded to the government. On May 23, further amount of Rs 50,000 was refunded. He said that the entire amount of Rs 93,535 received by him was sent back. He accused the bank manager of not giving satisfactory explanation about why this money went back. He said that the manager wants him to get details from revenue department as he does not any details.

When the amount was credited initially to the accounts of the farmers, many had tried to withdraw it. But they were told that they would be allowed to take back the money after instructions arrive from higher authorities.

As soon as the issue of loan waiver amount getting reversed came to his knowledge,     the chief minister has asked officials to immediately collect details like how much amount and why the money was sent back, whether it is non -performing loan or running loan, reason why it was refunded etc.