Aland MLA B R Patil has urged Governor Rameshwar Thakur to scrap the government rule that farmers who avail the government’s loan waiver scheme are not eligible for crop insurance.
He revealed this at a press conference here on Sunday. In a memorandum submitted to the Governor, the MLA has pointed out that crop insurance was the right of farmers. The government had “unconstitutionally” snatched this right from farmers under the pretext of loan waiver.
Out of 42 lakh farmers in the state, 2.40 lakh farmers were covered by crop insurance. It was wrong to equate loan waiver scheme and crop insurance, he argued.
Former finance minister B S Yeddyurappa had posed as a protector of farmers but in reality he had introduced an anti-farmer loan waiver scheme, which had snatched the rights of many farmers.
Though there was a ban on arrack in the state, a former MLA had colluded with excise officials and selling arrack in Aland taluk, he alleged.
He said that the excise officials had responded to his complaint about sale of illicit liquor in Teertha village in the taluk. Patil said he had brought this matter to the notice of the Governor.
The government had released Rs 80 lakh in response to a Rs 2.50 crore proposal to recharge water table in the taluk. The Governor was urged to release more money as this money was very less, he added.