New Delhi: Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray-led alliance government in Maharashtra on Saturday announced a loan waiver of upto ₹two lakh for farmers, with a cut off date of 30 September this year.
The scheme under which the loans are being given is called "Mahatma Jyotirao Phule loan waiver scheme".
Rural distress was one of the most significant electoral issues in the recently concluded state elections. The three incumbent post poll alliance partners - Shiv Sena, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Congress - had individually raised the issue in their campaigns.
The scheme was announced on Saturday in Nagpur on the last day of the Winter Session of the legislative Assembly. The announcement was made by Thackeray in the assembly amidst voices of criticism and walkout from opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led by former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis.
"Crop loans outstanding till September 30, 2019, will be waived by my government. The upper ceiling for the amount is ₹Two lakh. The scheme will be called Mahatma Jyotirao Phule loan waiver scheme," Thackeray said adding that a special scheme would be offered for the farmers who repay their loans on time as an incentive.
Fadnavis argued that the announcement fell short of the state government's original promise of full loan waiver and that it failed to give assistance of ₹25,000 per hectare to farmers who suffered losses due to unseasonal rain.
Finance Minister Jayant Patil said the waiver would be unconditional, and details would be communicated by the chief minister’s office in due course.
The first section of the four page document titled "Common Minimum Programme" or CMP of the alliance government released last month was dedicated to farmers. The CMP has pledged “immediate loan waiver" for farmers, 80% reservation in jobs for local/domicile holders, no interest on education loans for children of farmers and for those from economically weaker sections, a robust slum rehabilitation programme, health insurance cover for every citizen, “one rupee" health clinics, and food for common people at ₹10 among others.
PTI contributed to the story
