On Day 1 as CM, Kamal Nath clears the way for farm loan waivers in MP

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Bhopal: Within a few hours of the oath ceremony which officially put Kamal Nath in the Madhya Pradesh CM's chair, the Congress leader signed the files required for waiving off farm loans in the state. Loans of upto Rs 2 lakh - from nationalised and/or co-operative banks - till March 31 of 2018 have been waived off.

"The Madhya Pradesh government hereby takes the decision of waiving of loans taken by farmers up to Rs 2 lakh from nationalised and cooperative banks,” read the letter signed by Rajesh Rajora, Principal Secretary, Department of Agriculture, Horticulture and Food Processing.

Madhya Pradesh CM Kamal Nath: After joining this post (of Chief Minister), the first file I have signed is of farm loan waiver of Rs 2 lakh each, as I had promised to the farmers pic.twitter.com/E7Goc2T425 — ANI (@ANI) December 17, 2018

A major part of the pre-poll promises, waiving off farmer loans had been a cornerstone in the Congress manifesto for Madhya Pradesh. Party president Rahul Gandhi had said that Congress would waive off farmer loans within ten days if voted to power. And Kamal Nath, a seasoned politician and two-time CM of the state, quickly got down to fulfilling the promise made by his party.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had previously said that it would be keeping a close watch on how the Kamal Nath government functions and on the promises made in the Congress manifesto. Shivraj Singh Chouhan - the outgoing CM - had said he would provide constructive opposition and ensure that Congress fulfils its promises.