Congress Promises Free Power and Loan Waivers for Farmers in Madhya Pradesh Elections
The Congress party has made a significant promise to farmers in Madhya Pradesh ahead of the upcoming assembly elections. Congress has pledged to provide free power to farmers, waive their agricultural loans, and clear their pending electricity dues if the party takes office. Kamal Nath, the Chief of Madhya Pradesh Congress, expressed concerns over the increasing loan burden faced by farmers under the current BJP rule. Nath highlighted the party’s proposed Krishak Nyay Yojana, which aims to reduce the input cost of agriculture for farmers in the state.
Under the scheme, the Congress has plans to waive the agricultural loans of 27 lakh farmers, building on a similar initiative already implemented when the party was in power after the 2018 elections. Nath assured that this scheme would continue and outlined the additional benefits farmers would receive. This includes the launch of the Krishak Nyay Yojana, through which farmers will enjoy free power for pumps up to 5 horsepower used in irrigation. The proposed scheme is estimated to benefit approximately 37 lakh farmers in Madhya Pradesh. Furthermore, farmers’ pending electricity bills will also be waived under this scheme, providing much-needed relief.
In his address, Nath emphasized the importance of uninterrupted electricity supply to farmers and promised to ensure a continuous power supply for up to 12 hours if the Congress forms the government. He acknowledged that agriculture plays a vital role in driving Madhya Pradesh’s economy, attributing 70 percent of the state’s economic dependence to the agricultural sector.
To address the grievances of farmers, the Congress has vowed to withdraw criminal cases registered against farmers who have voiced their concerns against issues such as fake power theft cases and other agricultural matters. Nath criticized the decrease in farmers’ income in Madhya Pradesh, citing data from the central government. According to him, the state witnessed a decrease in farmers’ income from Rs 9,740 per month in 2015-16 to Rs 8,339 per month last year. This decrease in income places the state’s farmers at a disadvantage compared to their counterparts in other states.
Nath also seized the opportunity to comment on Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s multiple visits to Madhya Pradesh for BJP’s election preparations. He claimed that the BJP’s nervousness is evident through these frequent visits, suggesting that they are seeing the writing on the walls. Nath accused the BJP regime of engaging in rampant corruption and criticized their approach of laying foundation stones across the state solely to receive a 25 percent cut from the allocated work amounts. He stressed the importance of attracting investments rather than demanding them to enhance Madhya Pradesh’s economic landscape.
In addition to these promises, the Congress leader revealed plans to establish a non-political organization called ‘Narmada Sewa Sena’ in the 28 areas where the river flows. The organization’s primary objective will be to serve and protect the Narmada river.
The assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh are scheduled to take place by November this year. The previous polls in 2018 resulted in a hung assembly, with the Congress emerging as the single largest party with 114 seats out of 230. However, due to mass defections, the Congress-led government fell in March 2020, subsequently leading to the BJP’s return to power with Shivraj Singh Chouhan as chief minister.
The promises made by the Congress in terms of agricultural support and relief for farmers are expected to resonate strongly with the electorate. As the elections draw closer, the farmers’ welfare and the revival of the agricultural sector will undoubtedly remain central to the political discourse in Madhya Pradesh.
