COIMBATORE: Yermunai Ilaingar Ani, a part of Katchi Sarbatra Vivasayigal Sangam, staged a protest in Sulur on Saturday, demanding that the Tamil Nadu government waive all crop loans taken through cooperative societies and retract the chief minister's recent crop loan waiver announcement.
Protest Details
The association had originally planned to demonstrate in front of the Sulur MLA office. However, after police denied permission for that venue, the protest was moved to the Sulur bus stand. Following the demonstration, members submitted a petition to Sulur MLA N M Sivakumar at his office.
Farmer Grievances Highlighted
Yermunai Ilaingar Ani state vice-president M Suresh stated that farmers have been under severe financial stress in recent years due to climate change impacts, rising input costs, and recurring disasters. He cited increasing expenses for seeds, fertilisers, pesticides, and farm equipment, and alleged that cultivators are not receiving adequate prices for their produce.
Suresh explained that these pressures have forced farmers to borrow from cooperative societies, public banks, and private banks. He added that many farmers are facing mental distress while trying to sustain their livelihoods.
Criticism of Current Waiver
Suresh said the recently announced crop loan waiver does not align with the election-time assurance of a 100% waiver for small and micro farmers and a 50% waiver for large farmers. He claimed the current framework would not benefit most small and micro farmers, as micro farmers now commonly borrow around Rs 80,000. He pointed out that borrowers in the Rs 50,000 slab are fewer than those in higher categories.
Comparison with Past Waivers
Comparing previous waivers, Suresh noted that Rs 12,000 crore was waived in 2021, Rs 5,600 crore during the Jayalalithaa period, and about Rs 6,000 crore during the Kalaignar period. In contrast, the current waiver covers only about Rs 2,000 crore.
