BJP slams Cong, NCP co-ops for holding crop claims

MUMBAI: The BJP has criticised the Congress-NCP-controlled district cooperative banks for not honouring crop insurance claims of farmers.

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The move is being seen by many as another attempt to get control of the cooperative sector that is still largely controlled by the Congress and the NCP. The NCP hit back saying it is a political move with malafide intentions.

State cooperation minister Chandrakant Patil on Tuesday said there are complaints that many district cooperative banks are not disbursing crop insurance money, resulting in difficulties for the farmers who are already in distress.

“The state government will take action against all such banks that have not released crop insurance claim amounts,” Patil said.

Sources in the government confirmed that the government is considering to issue notices to three district cooperative banks directing them to comply the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) rules. They are Beed, Osmanabad and Jalna — all controlled by NCP heavyweights.

Senior NCP leader and leader of Opposition Dhananjay Munde controls the Beed district cooperative bank, Osmanabad bank is being controlled by former NCP MP Padmsingh Patil, while former education minister Rajesh Tope has control of the Jalna district cooperative bank.

Sources said around Rs 800 crore are pending with the Beed bank, while Jalna has to pay around Rs 480 crore against crop insurance claim amounts to the farmers.

The cooperation minister warned all such banks to start releasing the amount immediately or face action.

However, Tope has refuted the claim and said it is a political move. “It’s propaganda. What has been said about Jalna bank is false. This also shows malafide intentions of the government,” Tope said.