Maharashtra government on Monday has decided to expand the ambit of its farm loan waiver scheme to cover more farmers who have taken loans for various agricultural activities. The move comes just a few days ahead of Assembly elections in the state.
The decision was taken at the cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. According to the new rules, “Now the loans which were taken from licensed lenders but were out of their designated jurisdiction will also be waived off by the government”, says press release.
The governments will write-off (a cancellation from an account of a debt) such farm loans taken up to 30 November 2014, it said in a press release.
The farmers who want to avail this benefit will have to complete the necessary procedure by 31 March 2020. "This decision will benefit farmers in 19 districts of Marathavada and Vidarbha regions", the release said.
Earlier in Feb, Governor C. Vidyasagar Rao criticized the scheme that Maharashtra government's farm loan waiver scheme was unprecedented in its beneficiary coverage, particularly among farmers in Marathwada and Vidarbha regions.
On the BJP-Shiv Sena led state government's commitment for better farm produce prices, Rao said the government procured 40.10 lakh quintals of pulses, 2.62 lakh quintals of soybean and 19.47 lakh quintals of 'chana' during the Kharif season 2017-18, he said.
As per the report, the state government paid Rs 3,121 crore to over five lakh farmers as Minimum Support Price (MSP).
