Finance Minister Sashi Bhusan Behera on Thursday said different political parties are promising waiver of farm loans in order to compete with each other ahead of the 2019 elections, but the Odisha Government is considering all aspects before moving ahead in this regard.
Behera said, “We are not in the race like other States to waive farm loans. Yesterday, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had said that the Government is examining the farm loan issue.”
Terming loan waiver as unfavourable for the farming community, Behera said the Centre should bring a national policy to resolve the problem of farmers.
However, Pradesh Congress Committee president Niranjan Patnaik in a Tweet said, “The BJD is in Government in Odisha since last 18 years, but they never thought about the welfare of our farmers.”
The Congress Governments in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan took just two days to waive farm loans. Look at the contrast,” Patnaik Tweeted.
“If they (the BD) really care about the farmers of Odisha, why don’t they announce a bonus on the MSP like the Congress party did in Chhattisgarh?” he asked.
Patnaik further said, “The Congress will waive off farm loans within 5 hours of forming Government in Odisha. It's our solemn promise to our ‘Annadatas’.”
Notably, earlier the State BJP had also promised to waive farm loans if it comes to power.