Haryana farmers owe ₹60,060 crore in loans

In Haryana, farmers are facing a significant financial burden with ₹60,060 crore in outstanding agriculture loans. This amount is spread across more than 27 lakh farmers in the state. The information was shared in the Haryana Assembly during a session on Wednesday. Aditya Devi Lal, an MLA from the Indian National Lok Dal, raised concerns about the loans during the Question Hour. He asked for specific details about the total outstanding loan amount and how many farmers are affected in different districts. Cooperation Minister Arvind Sharma confirmed that as of December 31, 2024, there were 27,71,676 farmers with unpaid loans of ₹60,060 crore. For instance, the district of Sirsa has an outstanding loan of ₹6,102 crore affecting 2,07,517 farmers, while Hisar has ₹5,873 crore owed by 2,68,227 farmers. In contrast, urban districts like Gurugram and Faridabad have lower amounts of ₹842 crore and ₹533 crore, respectively. Lal further pressed the government on measures taken to assist farmers over the past 11 years. He asked how many farmers have benefited from government initiatives. Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini responded that crop loans up to ₹1.5 lakh are available at a low interest rate of 7%, with the Haryana government covering 4% and the central government contributing 3%. He mentioned that farmers often take short-term loans to finance equipment like tractors and harvesters. Additionally, Saini highlighted a new government scheme called 'Mera Pani Meri Virasat.' This program offers farmers an incentive of ₹8,000 per acre for choosing alternative crops over traditional paddy, up from the previous incentive of ₹7,000 per acre.