TIRUCHY: Farmers have demanded that the new State government roll out crop loan waiver as per TVK's poll promise. They appealed not to force the farmers to repay the EMIs until the waiver order is passed.

The TVK Government had promised the farmers that they would write off the loans availed from the Cooperative societies. However, the officials from the Cooperative Societies pressured the farmers to repay the loans immediately.

"We hear that the new government is in enumeration of the crop loans availed by the farmers through the Cooperative societies, but at the same time, the officials are in a haste to collect the loan amount at once," claimed Easan Murugasamy, founder, Tamilaga Vivasayigal Pathukappu Sangam.

Easan Murugasamy also asked the association members to wait until the State government announces the order, he claimed, as the default loans might only be waived.

PR Pandian, president, Coordination Committee of All Farmers Association, claimed that the announcement for the crop loan waiver would be made in the upcoming State budget and asked adequate funds be allocated for the purpose.

He said that the interest-free loans would attract 13 per cent interest, when there is a pending due, so he appealed the government to instruct the cooperative society officials not to force the farmers to repay their EMIs which would only help the farmers, Pandian added.