Karnataka budget: 'Kumaraswamy has cheated the farmers', says BS Yeddyurappa

Bengaluru, July 5: Reacting to the budget presented by Karnataka chief minister H D Kumaraswamy, BJP state Chief, and former CM BS Yeddyurappa said that HDK has cheated the farmers.

Speaking to media, Yeddyurappa said,''This is the budget of elder brother & younger brother. HD Kumaraswamy burdened common man by hiking fuel prices. No clarity on mobilisation of funds for Rs 34,000 cr farm loan waiver.''

Earlier in the day, Kumaraswamy on Thursday announced a much-expected farm loan waiver for all defaulting loans up to December 31, 2017.

"I have decided to waive all defaulted crop loans of farmers up to 31 December 2017 in the first stage. Farmers who repaid the loan within time, as an encouragement to the non-defaulting farmers, I have decided to credit the repaid loan amount or Rs 25,000 whichever is less," Kumaraswamy said while presenting the Congress-JD(S) government's first budget.

Farm loan waiver had been an election promise of the JD (S). "I have decided to limit the loan amount to Rs 2 lakhs. Due to this crop loan waiver scheme, farmers will get the benefit of Rs 34,000 crore," he said.

The chief minister also announced provisions to allow farmers to avail of new loans.

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