Farmers stage sit-in at SBI Amdapur branch over crop loans denied citing debts on 7/12 extract

Farmers have begun a sit-in protest at the State Bank of India branch in Amdapur in Buldhana district. Their complaint is that the bank is stalling on crop loans by citing the burden of private loans from other banks and credit institutions recorded on the 7/12 (satbara) land extract.

The agitation is being led by Devidas Kankhar of the Shetkari Sanghatana and Vinayak Sarnaik of the Krantikari Shetkari Sanghatana. The farmers demand that eligible farmers be sanctioned crop loans in keeping with the instructions in a letter from the Lead District Bank, Buldhana.

The farmers say the loan waiver was implemented late, leaving many of them short of money. When crop loans did not come on time, some took private loans from other banks, urban banks and credit institutions. They complain that fresh crop loan applications are now being rejected by pointing to this debt on the 7/12 extract.

Kankhar and Sarnaik say a private loan taken from other banks or credit institutions and a crop loan sought for the seasonal costs of farming are two different things. They argue that instead of refusing outright on seeing another loan on the 7/12 extract, the bank should decide after checking the farmer's eligibility, the type of loan and the rules that apply.

The protesters ask why the State Bank is stalling when other banks found a way. According to them, the other banks recorded in writing that the loan in question was private and not a crop loan, and in this way found a route to give crop loans to eligible farmers. They demand that the State Bank also consider cases properly on the basis of the same process and the documents available. They insist that, rather than turning farmers away merely because of a burden on the 7/12 extract, the real nature of the loan be examined and eligible farmers be sanctioned crop loans as per the rules.

The protesters cited a letter from the Lead District Bank, Buldhana, dated Thursday. The letter said that the burden of loans from other banks and urban banks should not obstruct eligible farmers from getting crop loans, and that the State Bank should decide keeping these instructions in mind.

The protesters say crop loans are vital for the farming season. Loans must come on time to meet the cost of seed, fertiliser, pesticide and ploughing and sowing, and the bank's procedure should not become an obstacle for farmers. They demand that the State Bank take an immediate decision after looking at the instructions in the Lead District Bank's letter, the process followed by other banks and the documents submitted by farmers, and resolve the crop loan issue of eligible farmers.

The agitators have made it clear that if the demands are not met and no clear decision is taken to give eligible farmers crop loans, they will camp inside the bank with hundreds of farmers and will not leave until a decision is made. Farmers are now watching what stand the State Bank administration takes.