‘Loan waiver software ensures money only to farmers’

Munish Moudgil, the nodal officer for the crop loan waiver scheme, has said that the software deployed for its implementation ensured that public money "flows only to genuinely eligible farmers" and that bogus documents submitted by some farmers were not a roadblock.

"As per the crop loan waiver scheme guidelines, all eligible farmers who furnish their Aadhaar, ration card and land survey number correctly will immediately get the first phase of the waiver (up to Rs 50,000). The crop loan waiver for commercial banks is successful; it has got self-declaration from 98% of farmers with reference to 16.71 lakh crop loans. Hence, there is no question of (a) roadblock to the scheme,” Moudgil said in a rejoinder to the article carried by DH on 1.80 lakh farmers having submitted bogus documents while seeking a waiver of their loans.

"About 90% of farmers have given their data correctly and the 1st phase waiver release for them is in (the) advanced stage. Hence, the scheme is successful in reaching out to 98% of farmers and collecting correct information from 90% of farmers. The rest 10% of farmers will get loan waiver as and when they furnish (the) correct Aadhaar, ration card and land survey number, provided they're eligible. Village accountants and banks have visited villages multiple times to collect the same and (the) effort continues even today," he added.