Chhattisgarh: Bhupesh Baghel promises another farm loan waiver if voted back to power

Bhupesh Baghel asked people to re-elect the Congress so that the party’s government can write off loans of farmers like it did five years ago

RAIPUR: Chhattisgarh chief ministerBhupesh Baghel on Monday promised a second round of a loan waiver for farmers, similar to the one implemented in 2018, if the party returns to power.

Five years on, Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel promised a rerun of the 2018 farm loan waiver (PTI)

“Today I want to make an announcement from this stage that farmer’s loans will be waived off if you elect Congress to power again,” Bhupesh Baghel told a public meeting in Sakti assembly seat on Monday.

Polling for the 90 assembly seats in Chhattisgarh is scheduled to be held in two phases on November 7 and 17 and votes will be counted on December 3.

The Congress had made a similar promise ahead of the 2018 elections, which was widely believed to have helped the party end the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) 15-year rule. According to news agency PTI, the Chhattisgarh government earlier said the government waived farm loans worth ₹9,270 crore of 18.82 lakh farmers.

The farm loan waiver is the fourth key promise made by the Congress for the elections in November. It has already pledged to conduct a caste census, procure

For the elections in November, the Congress has made four key announcements -- caste census, increase procurement of paddy per acre from the 15 quintals to 20 quintals and provide houses for 1.75 million people.

“We will give many more guarantees,” Baghel said.

PTI said Baghel last week counted farmers as a decisive factor in the outcome of the assembly elections in the state and said their support will help the ruling Congress achieve its target of winning 75-plus seats in a 90-member House.