Business News : The Telangana government on Thursday launched the third and final phase of crop loan waiver at a cost of Rs 5,644.24 crore, which will benefit over 4.46 lakh farmers. As per its poll promise, the Congress government began waiving loans up to Rs 2 lakh in three phases from 8 July. Agricultural loans up to Rs 1 lakh were waived in the first phase. A government release said Rs 6,098.93 crore was spent in the first phase, benefiting 11,50,193 farmers.

Rs 6,190.01 crore was spent in the second phase.

In the second phase, Rs 6,190.01 crore was spent, helping 6,40,823 farmers. Addressing a public meeting at Vyara in Khammam district, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy said the crop loan waiver was being implemented as promised by the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, in the year 2022. Reddy also attacked the opposition Bharat Rashtra Samiti (BRS) and reminded BRS MLA T Harish Rao of his challenge to step down. He said Rao should step down as the Congress government has fulfilled its promise of waiving crop loans of Rs 2 lakh. Reddy said Harish Rao had challenged that he would resign from the post of MLA if the Congress government implemented the crop loan waiver.

Promised in the election

Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy had already announced that farmers' loans up to Rs 2 lakh will be waived by August 15. The party had promised this loan waiver during the state assembly elections. It is now fulfilling this promise. Reddy has suggested that during the loan waiver under the Rythu Vedika scheme, state ministers, MLAs, and all public representatives should gather farmers in different areas and share this happiness with them.