Telangana Chief Minister KCR’s sudden order to implement the long-awaited farmer loan waiver has raised questions about his motivations. There seem to be 3 main reasons for this change. Firstly, with upcoming elections, he aims to secure the votes of farmers by fulfilling this promise. Secondly, the pressure from the opposition in the monsoon sessions forced him to take action.
Thirdly, KCR’s government has been labeled as anti-farmer, leading to increasing anger among farmers due to unfulfilled promises. In 2018, the government estimated a requirement of 27 thousand crores for the loan waiver, but only 1207 crores were allocated, causing frustrations among farmers.
The situation worsened as they faced difficulties with existing loans and banks reluctant to grant new ones. However, driven by fear of losing support and political advantage, KCR has now ordered the immediate implementation of the loan waiver, with Rs. 17 thousand crores to be deposited in farmers’ accounts in phases.
The remaining Rs. 6,000 crore waiver remains uncertain. KCR’s actions suggest that he implements promises only when faced with adverse circumstances, raising doubts about the credibility of his commitments. The focus on the welfare of farmers might be a campaign strategy rather than genuine concern.