Summary:
JAIPUR: The Opposition and the ruling BJP on Tuesday locked horns in the Rajasthan Assembly over the crop loan waiver announced by the Vasundhara Raje-government in its Budget 2018-19.As the House took up a question raised by Congress legislator Nand Kishore Maharia on crop loan waiver and procuring farmers ' produce at the minimum support price, the entire opposition cornered the government on its intent on crop loan waivers.Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje had in her budget announced a one-time crop loan waiver of up to Rs 50,000 taken by small and marginalised farmers, and land revenue exemption. The waiver was for marginal farmers in the overdue and outstanding category of short loans provided by cooperative banks. This would cost the state exchequer nearly Rs 8,000 crore.Raje had announced the constitution of a farmers' debt relief commission as a permanent institution. Farmers would be able to get relief on merit basis after presenting their case before the commission, she had said.In a supplementary question during the Question Hour, Maharia demanded the minutes of the meeting of the commission. He said out of the Rs 8,000 crore, Rs 3,000 crore comprised penalty, interest, etc., and Rs 5,000 was for crop loan waiver.The government had put riders and waived loans taken from cooperative banks by the small and marginalised farmers only, he said, and asked if the government intended to announce a complete loan waiver.State Cooperative Minister Ajay Singh Kilak said it was a first in the history of the state that a waiver of crop loans was announced..