Co-op sector scam during BJP rule led to discrepancies in loan

The Congress government in Madhya Pradesh Friday alleged that there was a big scam in the co-operative sector during the previous Shivraj Singh Chouhan dispensation, which has led to "discrepancies" in the list of farm loan waiver beneficiaries.

The opposition BJP, however, hit back saying the cooperative banks were creating such discrepancies at the behest of the Congress government.

Addressing a press conference here Friday, state Sports Minister Jitu Patwari said, "There was a big scam in the co-operative sector during the previous Shivraj Singh government of BJP, which led to discrepancies in the list of beneficiaries of loan waiver scheme. These discrepancies are coming to light at several places."

Congress MLAs and ministers have received complaints across the state that names of several such farmers, who have already paid their dues, figured in the list of the loan waiver beneficiaries, whereas names of those who are yet to pay their dues, are not mentioned among the eligible farmers.

 

"There are also complaints that names of those farmers who have not taken any debts, figured in the list of loan waiver beneficiaries," he said, adding that control rooms have been set up to look into such complaints.

"This is happening because of the irregularities in the cooperative sector and banks during the previous BJP government. We will inquire into such irregularities and the guilty will be punished," he said.

Patwari's allegations come in the wake of a farmer from Agar Malwa district in the state getting a loan waiver of just Rs 13 instead of Rs 23,815 he was eligible for under a scheme announced by the newly elected Congress government.

Earlier this month, the Madhya Pradesh Cabinet had approved a loan waiver scheme under which farm dues worth Rs 2 lakh would be waived for each eligible cultivator.

"So far, 35.10 lakh farmers have applied for loan waiver in the state. This figure is likely to go up between 50-55 lakh. The process of verification will continue till February 5," Patwari said.

"Round-the-clock control rooms have been set up in every district, which would sort out the discrepancies found in the list," he added.

The BJP, however, accused the government of trying to inflate the figures.

"The Kamal Nath government is involved in jugglery of figures to show inflated data of beneficiaries. Most of the farmers are already out of this scheme due to the eligibility criterion set by the government," state BJP vice president and MLA Rameshwar Sharma said.

"In fact, the lists having discrepancies are being circulated by banks at the behest of Congress government," he said.

The BJP government had launched welfare schemes meant for all farmers, Sharma said.