Four states — Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Karnataka — that promised to clear farmers' dues, saw only 40 percent of the promised amount waved off and just half of the beneficiaries were benefited, Business Standard reported.

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The agricultural disbursal to the farmers in these four states has slowed in the year after the waiver announcement, the BS report said.

Three months after demonetisation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had made a poll promise in UP to waive farmers' loans, however, after 21 months, the dues of only 50 percent farmers have been cleared, said the report, adding that the government, under the scheme, had intended to spend Rs 364 billion but has spent Rs 247 billion so far, around 68 percent of the amount promised.

In Maharashtra, out of the 8.9 million intended, 4.1 million farmers' (46 percent) dues were cleared in 18 months with half of Rs 340 billion — the promised amount — spent, according to the report.

The report added that the case was similar in Punjab and Karnataka as well. Karnataka, where the scheme was announced in July, has fully completed its first tranche of Rs 82 billion for 2 million farmers, however, the second tranche of Rs 440 billion is moving slower than usual, the report mentioned.

First Published:Dec 24, 2018 10:26 AM IST