Congress minister M.B. Patil accuses NDA of anti-farmer policies

Congress minister M.B. Patil on Saturday said the BJP-led NDA government follows anti-farmer policies. He pointed to Subramanya Swami's claim that the Centre has waived over Rs 10 lakh crore in loans for industrialists in 12 years but is unwilling to waive just Rs 2 lakh crore in farmers' loans. Patil praised former PM Manmohan Singh as the only national leader to have waived farmers' loans.

Speaking at a grain godown inauguration in Vijayapura district, Patil also urged increasing Almatti dam height to 524.256 m as a long-term solution to drought. He noted compensation for submerged land has risen to Rs 60,000 crore. MLA Shivanand Patil added that NABARD, due to the Centre's policies, is not lending to farmers. Cooperative societies, he said, are providing crucial support, with Vijayapura's DCC Bank recording an annual transaction of Rs 6,000 crore.