Madhya Pradesh’s Leader of Opposition, Umang Singhar, has written to Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, emphasizing the challenges faced by farmers in the state and requesting immediate action. Singhar has urged the Chief Minister to set the wheat procurement price for farmers at Rs 3,000 per quintal and extend the loan repayment deadline to April 30. He highlighted the severe economic crisis affecting farmers in Madhya Pradesh and stressed the need for the state government to take sensitive and empathetic steps.
Singhar’s letter pointed out that the wheat procurement process in the state, managed through the Food Corporation of India (FCI) and cooperative societies, starts on April 1, while the loan repayment deadline for farmers is currently scheduled for March 31. This situation puts significant pressure on farmers to repay their loans even before they can sell their produce. Singhar emphasized that last year, the loan repayment deadline was extended to April 30, allowing farmers more time to sell their harvest and settle their debts, but it was changed to March 31, causing difficulties for many farmers.
Singhar has demanded that the government reinstate April 30 as the deadline for farmers’ loan repayment, replacing the current March 31 deadline. He also called for relief measures, such as loan waivers or special concessions, to be provided to farmers who were declared defaulters due to the change in the repayment deadline. The Congress party will be approaching Chief Minister Mohan Yadav to address the farmers’ challenges promptly and effectively.
