Bhopal: The Congress on Wednesday promised free power for farmers and waiver of their agri loans and pending electricity dues if the party forms the government after the year-end assembly elections.

Addressing a press conference, which saw a brief power cut, MP Congress chief Kamal Nath alleged that the loan burden on farmers in the state has been increasing under the BJP rule. He said their ‘Krishak Nyay Yojana’ will bring down the input cost of farmers in agriculture.

“We have waived the agricultural loans of 27 lakh farmers in the first phase (when Congress was in power after 2018 polls). This scheme will continue. In addition, we will launch Krishak Nyay Yojana under which benefits including free power for up to 5 horsepower pumps used in irrigation will be provided to farmers,” Nath told reporters.

This will benefit around 37 lakh farmers of the state, he said.

The MP Congress chief said that farmers’ pending electricity bills will be waived under this scheme.

“If elected to power, we will also ensure uninterrupted electricity supply for 12 hours to the farmers,” he said.

The former chief minister said that 70 per cent of MP’s economy is dependent on agriculture and farmers drive it. If the Congress forms the government, Nath said, they will also withdraw the criminal cases registered against farmers for raising their voice against fake power theft cases and other agriculture-related issues.

Citing the Centre’s data, the Congress leader said that MP is among the four states where farmers’ income came down. He said it dropped to Rs 8,339 per month last year from Rs 9,740 per month in 2015-16.

The income of the state’s farmers is way below compared with other states, he said.

Asked about the multiple visits of Union home minister Amit Shah to Madhya Pradesh for the BJP’s election preparations, Nath said, “This shows their nervousness. They are seeing the writing on the walls.”

Nath accused the BJP regime of rampant corruption and said that it is laying the foundation stones across the state only to get a 25 per cent cut from the work amounts.

“Corruption in MP has become a part of the system which has hampered new investment in the state. Investments can’t be demanded, they need to be attracted,” he said.

The Congress leader said that a non-political 'Narmada Sewa Sena' is being formed in 28 areas, where the river flows, to serve and protect the water body.

The assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh are due by November this year.

The last polls in 2018 threw up a hung assembly, with the Congress emerging as the single largest party with 114 seats in the 230-member House, while the BJP won 109 seats.

The Congress, after being in opposition for 15 years, formed a coalition government under Nath, but it fell in March 2020 when nearly two dozen MLAs loyal to Union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia quit and later joined the BJP. The BJP then returned to power with Shivraj Singh Chouhan taking over as chief minister.