States » NorthPosted at: Oct 31 2026 5:48PM


Jakhar challenges Mann to disclose farmer loan relief data, calls KCC promises hollow

Chandigarh, Oct 31 (UNI) Senior BJP leader Sunil Jakhar on Saturday accused Punjab's Aam Aadmi Party government of failing to deliver on its promises of agricultural debt relief and enhanced Kisan Credit Card (KCC) limits, challenging Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to disclose how many farmers had actually benefited from the announced measures.
Addressing a press conference in Jalandhar, Jakhar said the government's claims of providing financial relief to indebted farmers had remained largely on paper, despite repeated announcements about a one-time settlement (OTS) scheme and revisions to crop-specific credit limits.
The BJP leader accused the Mann administration of making ambitious promises without establishing a transparent mechanism to implement them.
"How many new accounts have been opened and how many farmers have received enhanced credit limits?" Jakhar asked, demanding that the government release figures to substantiate its claims.
Jakhar said Mann had promised to constitute an all-party committee by September 7 to examine outstanding loans owed by farmers to cooperative banks and agricultural credit institutions.
The committee was expected to recommend a settlement framework covering loans linked to the Punjab State Cooperative Bank and agricultural development banks.
However, Jakhar alleged that the Assembly session had ended without the government implementing the promised OTS scheme or providing the anticipated relief to farmers.
He questioned whether the proposed committee had been constituted and, if so, why its recommendations and the government's subsequent action had not been made public.
The BJP leader also disputed the state government's claims of having substantially revised the 26-year-old KCC policy to promote crop diversification.
He said Mann had announced during June and July that credit limits would be increased for farmers cultivating crops other than the traditional wheat-paddy combination.
The announced measures covered maize, groundnut, cotton, turmeric, potatoes, cauliflower, garlic, jamun and dragon fruit, among other crops.
Jakhar said the government had presented the policy changes as a major step towards encouraging farmers to diversify their agricultural production, but had failed to demonstrate how many had received additional institutional credit.
Jakhar said the government should provide verifiable figures rather than rely on announcements to establish its record on agricultural credit.
The controversy comes amid growing opposition from farmers' organisations to Punjab's revised KCC policy. Farmers protesting in Ferozepur on October 28 demanded the withdrawal of the new lending conditions, including requirements relating to land collateral, and called for an OTS scheme for defaulting borrowers.
The BJP leader said the government's credibility depended on whether its decisions had translated into tangible benefits for farmers struggling with debt and rising cultivation costs.
He urged Mann to make public district-wise data on loan settlements, enhanced credit limits and new beneficiaries, saying farmers deserved a clear account of the government's agricultural commitments.
The Punjab government did not immediately respond to Jakhar's allegations. His claims about implementing the promised settlement scheme and the number of beneficiaries could not be independently verified.
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Tags: #Jakhar challenges Mann to disclose farmer loan relief data# calls KCC promises hollow
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