Vidarbha cotton growers `Daphade wajava’ beat drums for crop loans
Hunderds of credit starved cotton farmer 'Daphade wajava' beat drums to ‘awaken’ bankers for crop loan before State Bank of India Patanbori branch in Vavatmal district of Maharashtra received bumper response as there is huge unrest due to the delay and obstructions created by banks which has completely nullified the benefits of the loan waiver scheme as most eligible farmers have not been able to get fresh crop loans for the upcoming sowing season
In a novel agitation, distressed farmers in Yavatmal district in urgent need of crop loans has done the drums beati on Wednesday. “This is a desperate attempt to wake up the bank officials who are deep into slumber,” said Kishor Tiwari, President of Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti (VJAS), which is spearheading the cotton growers cause in the Vidarbha region.
Challenging the government ‘s claim that there was no funds crisis and there was no need to panic as co-operative banks were in a position to lend money ,Tiwari pointed out that hundreds of farmers have denied agricultural advance banks are not giving crop loan.
The VJAS alleged that co-operative banks were strapped of cash and cited the instance of a Pusad co-opweative bank which had cleared loan applications of 600 farmers a month ago but has till date not been able to actuality disburse the amount. Similarly farmers at Ner, Patn, Sawaekheda, Jodmoha, Ghatanji and Maregaon who were unable to secure the crop loans from the banks had no alternative but to borrow from private moneylenders as the kharif seadon has arrived and rains are expected anytime now.
The delay and obstructions created by banks have completely nullified benefits of the loan waiver scheme as most eligible farmers are not able to get fresh crop loans. Tiwari demanded that the Congress-led government should get out of the poll celebrations modeand give serious thought to the needs of poor cotton growers of Vidarbha. To complicate matters, he deplored that secretaries of the co-operative societies have resorted to strike bringing to halt processing of loans cases for last two weeks.
The June 4 agitation was to serve as warning, if the banks do not start disbursing loans to farmers after that, we will intensify the agitation,” said an agitating farmer leader Suresh Bolenwar of Pandharkawda in Yavatmal district. After state bank officials agree to give fresh crop loan to all illegible farmers, the farmers suspended 'Daphade wajava' beat drums.
“We will resume drum beating agitation before all cooperatives banks as they have till not started the loan disbursement”, Kishore said. (EOM)
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