Mega loan waiver in Andhra Pradesh: Why Secrecy?

G Naga Sridhar Updated - November 24, 2017 at 11:13 PM.

The mega loan waiver scheme in the residuary state of Andhra Pradesh seems to be in the rough weather, if the secrecy of the deliberations is any indication to go by.

The first State Level Bankers' Committee(SBLC) meeting which has the prime agenda of discussing the pros and cons of the farmers and Self Help Groups (SHGs) loan-waiver as promised by the Chief Minister designate and president of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) will be held in camera without entry to the media at 11 am on Wednesday.

The media personnel had a shock on Tuesday evening when they received a message from the Information and Public Relations Department which reads: "Regrets: Media is not allowed for coverage of the Frist State Level Bankers' Committee (SLBC) meeting scheduled to be held at 11 am on June 4, 2014."

It may be recalled that there are conflicting reports on the fate of debt-waiver which, if implemented in the letter and spirit of TDP Chandrababu Naidu in his election manifesto would involve an approximate waiver of Rs 82,000 crore loans.

This be challenging proposition to the State Govt of residuary Andhra Pradesh which would being its tryst with a deficit budget.

The AP SLBC President and Chairman and Managing Director of Andhra Bank C V R Rajendran had also publicly said the last meeting of SLBC of united Andhra Pradesh held last week that the actual figure of loan-waiver should never be shared with the media.

According to reliable sources, the new team of bureaucrats AP have also advised Naidu to go slow on the loan-waiver in view of the financial burden it would cause on the new state government.

It now remains to be seen whether Chandrababu Naidu would stick to his promise of signing the first file on loan-waiver after taking oath as the first chief minister of the residuary Andhra Pradesh

Published on June 3, 2014 17:23