Security personnel stand guard behind a roadblock during the farmers’ protest over various demands, including a legal guarantee of minimum support price (MSP) for crops, at the Punjab-Haryana Shambhu Border, in Patiala district, Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024.

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on February 23 announced waiver of interest and penalty on certain crop loans as he presented a ₹1.89 lakh crore budget for 2024-25 financial year.

While announcing the budget proposals at a time when farmers have intensified their protests at Punjab-Haryana borders, Mr. Khattar asserted that his government has taken many steps for the welfare of the farmers and that Minimum Support Price (MSP) is being given for 14 crops.

The government has also decided to double the financial compensation to ₹1 crore for families of soldiers who die in the line of duty.

“For 2024-25, I propose a budget of ₹1,89,876.61 crore which is 11.37% more than ₹1,70,490.84 crore (revised estimates) of 2023-24,” Mr. Khattar said while presenting the budget in the Haryana Assembly.

In a major announcement, he said that interest and penalty will be waived on crop loans taken by farmers form Primary Agriculture Credit Societies (PACS).

“I announce to waive interest and penalty on the crop loan in case crop loan was availed till September 30, 2023 and the principal amount is paid by May 31, 2024, provided the farmer is registered with MFMB (Meri Fasal Mera Byora),” he said.

He said that such loans should have been taken by farmers registered on MFMB portal and thereafter, the farmers will be eligible for crop loan from PACS during Kharif season.

As the Chief Minister made the announcement, Leader of Opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda asked him, “you talk of farmers, then why you slap NSA (National Security Act) on farmers. Farmers are protesting on Haryana’s borders”.

In response, Mr. Khattar said that “as much farmers are dear to you, they are to us also”.

“I am the son of a farmer, I know the pain of farmers. When I have announced a scheme in favour of farmers, either you are not able to digest it or not liking it,” he said.

On February 23, Haryana Police said it was withdrawing the earlier decision to invoke provisions of the NSA against some farmer leaders who are part of the ongoing farmers’ agitation.