**Bhubaneswar: ** As Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his new year’s first interview to a news agency has stressed on empowering the farmers instead of loan waiver in the wake of Naveen Patnaik-led Odisha Government’s “KALIA” scheme that has much earlier incorporated requisite components, it is now being a talk of the town here if PM Modi is endorsing Odisha’s KALIA scheme.
Notably, Modi’s interview had been a special broadcast yesterday (January 1) in the run up to 2019 general elections.
Senior journalist and political expert Prashant Patnaik viewed, “The KALIA scheme implemented by Naveen Patnaik is far-reaching. Every person engaged in farming will be benefitted by it. This scheme will also help in increasing agricultural production.”
“Modi has indirectly or directly endorsed KALIA scheme. Even though he hasn’t expressed it openly, Naveen Babu’s KALIA scheme will compel all governments to follow in future instead of going in for loan waiver,” the senior scribe opined.
On the other hand, Odisha BJP president Basant Panda argued, “Hon’ble Prime Minister has also simultaneously said that Centre has not barred the States from implementing farm loan waiver. If the States wish they could waive off farm loan. That’s why we have demanded before the State Government here for loan waiver. Also other BJP-ruled State Governments have also waived off farm loan.”
In his reactions, BJD spokesperson Sasmit Patra hit back, “Yesterday the Hon’ble Prime Minister has said that farm loan waiver is unjust and it is a lollipop of Congress. On the contrary, Odisha BJP unit has promised loan waiver if they come to power in the State here. It exhibits double-dealing. While the Prime Minister is of one opinion, Odisha BJP unit is diametrically different. Who is right and who is wrong? The BJP should clarify.”
In his rendezvous, PM Modi has stated, “Farm loan waiver is a political stunt. Parties are lying and misleading. Parties shouldn’t mislead the farmers. Solution is to empower the farmers.”
He has stressed, “The solution is to empower the farmers. We should evolve out ways and means so that the farmers are not constrained to borrow loan.”
He has also stated, “It was a longstanding demand of the farmers that the recommendations of Swaminathan Commission should be implemented and one and half time more MSP must be given to them. We have decided to implement it in 22 types of crop. When the Swaminathan Commission Report was submitted in 2007, had the then government implemented it, situation would have been perfect by now. And the farmers wouldn’t have loaned. Instead of doing that, ways and means were chosen for winning election.”
“What kind of and how many farmers benefit from the loan waiver? A less number of farmers take loan from the banks. Most of the farmers borrow loan from the money lenders. Those farmers also do not benefit from the government schemes,” PM Modi has observed.
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