PADB, loanees heading for clash

BATHINDA, Dec 1: While the Primary Agriculture Development Bank PADB is intensifying operations for the recovery of loans from farmers ...

BATHINDA, Dec 1: While the Primary Agriculture Development Bank PADB is intensifying operations for the recovery of loans from farmers in this district, farmers are opposing the move because of crop failure. In wake of PADB8217;s moves to issue arrest warrants to defaulters, the Bhartiya Kisan Union Ekta has started mobilising the people to gherao the bank employees visiting the villages for recovery of the amount.

Union8217;s state Press Secretary Surjit Singh Phul claimed that he had contacted farmers of Dhapali, Fulewala, Phul Chotian, Bugar, Selbrah, Bhai Roopa Burj Gill and Mehraj villages and farmers of more villages were being contacted for the cause. He said that many farmers, afraid of getting arrested, had even left their homes and gone into hiding. Bank official sources told the Indian Express that 3,338 farmers in Rampura Phul sub-division owed Rs 343.93 lakh to the PADB, out of which only 1,625 farmers had cleared Rs 85.29 lakh till date. In Talwandi Sabo sub-division, 2,300 farmers owe Rs 148.13 lakh to this bank. Here, the recovery figure is a meagre Rs 15.5 lakh obtained from 126 farmers.

PADB provides long-term loans for agricultural implements. The bank, before issuing arrest warrants for defaulters, had served final notices on them and field officers of the PADB are busy mobilising people to make recoveries.

The Deputy Registrar of the Cooperative Societies said that this was a routine affair of the banks. He said that first of all an arbitrary case is registered against the defaulters, notices are served and ultimately warrants are issued after the permission of the deputy ommissioner.

Sources disclosed that the deputy commissioner8217;s nod was being awaited to issue warrant notices to more than 250 farmers. Deputy Commissioner Sucha Ram Ladhar, however, said no such case had been refereed to him for allowing arrest warrants of defaulter loanees. He said that he would ensure that no such action takes place as the farmers were facing a tough time because of crop failure, and said he would rather recommend to the higher authorities to defer their recovery interments.

Harnek Singh, district president of the BKU Lakhowal, in an appeal to the chief minister, has said recovery of loans should be deferred in the wake of damage of crops and the farmers be given suitable compensation.