Loan dues should not be cut from govt benefits: Patil

Agriculture Minister B C Patil told the officials to take strict action against the bank officers, who deducted the loan due from the farmers’ accounts, from the money remitted by the government under various schemes.

He was speaking at a meeting of farmer leaders at the Zilla Panchayat hall in Mandya on Saturday evening.

Raitha Sangha district president Shambunahalli Suresh brought the issue to the minister’s notice.

He explained that the farmers have sold their paddy at the procurement centres across the district. The government has remitted the amount to their bank accounts. But the Mahadevapura Bank in Srirangapatna taluk has been deducting the amount for their loan dues, he said.

Minister Patil, who took exception to this, said the government has been releasing amount to the bank accounts of the farmers under various schemes. The money should be available for the farmers to manage the livelihood. Stern action should be taken against the bank officers, who have deducted the loan due from the government benefits, he said.

Deputy Commissioner M V Venkatesh directed the Lead Bank Manager to take action against the official.

The minister said the farmers can begin agricultural activities during the lockdown period. The officials should ensure there is no shortage of seeds, agricultural equipment and fertilisers, he added.

He said the state has a stock of 22.50 lakh tonnes of fertilisers. The government is taking all steps to ensure the farmers are not affected due to the lockdown. There is no need for the farming community to panic, he assured.

He warned that the licences of the shops selling seeds, pesticides and fertilisers in the black market would be cancelled.

When farmer leader Sunanda Jayaram sought cold storage units that would help the farmers at the time of distress, District in-charge Minister K C Narayana Gowda said there are plans to set up cold storage units at 12 places in the state, each at a cost of Rs 3.5 crore. Mandya district would also get a cold storage unit, he said.