Siddaramaiah Announces Strong Action Against Loan Recovery Harassment

In a significant move to address the rising concerns over harassment by micro-finance companies, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced on Saturday that the state government would amend the existing laws related to money lending. The government plans to introduce new legislation aimed at safeguarding the interests of genuine borrowers.

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Public Outrage and Emergency Meeting

The announcement comes after widespread public outrage over the alleged abusive tactics employed by micro-finance companies to recover loans from borrowers. In response, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah convened an emergency meeting with Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda, Home Minister G Parameshwara, Law Minister H K Patil, along with senior government and police officials. Representatives from the micro-finance companies association, and regional officers of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and NABARD, also attended the meeting to discuss solutions.

During the meeting, Siddaramaiah emphasized that while the loan recovery process must continue, it should not come at the expense of borrowers’ well-being. “We told them that while loans can be recovered, they should not be tortured or harassed in the process,” the Chief Minister stated. He further reiterated the importance of adhering to the RBI’s guidelines during recovery practices, urging the central bank to monitor violations closely.

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New Legislation and Law Amendments

Siddaramaiah announced that the government would not only amend the existing laws but also introduce new legislation specifically aimed at protecting genuine borrowers who deal with micro-finance institutions and private money lenders. He also made it clear that no interest beyond the prescribed limits should be charged to borrowers. Additionally, he stressed that no loan recovery should take place after 5 PM.

Another critical issue raised during the meeting was the outsourcing of loan recovery, which often leads to the involvement of individuals with criminal backgrounds. “Outsourcing recovery work has resulted in the use of rowdies for debt collection, and this practice should stop,” Siddaramaiah declared. He emphasized that stringent action would be taken against any violation of recovery rules.

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Impact in Rural Areas

The issue of harassment has been particularly severe in rural areas, where micro-finance institutions have a stronger presence. The meeting was called after reports emerged of people resorting to suicide, families fleeing their homes, and women organizing protests due to the ill-treatment they faced from these companies.

This initiative by the Karnataka government marks a firm stance to protect borrowers from exploitation and ensure that money lending practices are fair and transparent. The new laws will address long-standing concerns over unethical recovery practices and provide much-needed relief to borrowers, especially in rural regions.

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