21 May,2025 07:05 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
CM Fadnavis (above) on Wednesday said that Maharashtra is expected to have a good monsoon. File Pic
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday said that the state is expected to have a good monsoon this year and the government has set the Kharif crop production target at 204 lakh metric tonnes (MT), the PTI reported.
Addressing a press conference after a review meeting concerning the preparedness for the Kharif season, CM Fadnavis said that steps are being taken to ensure that genuine seeds, fertilisers and crop loans are made available to farmers.
"The state will have more than average monsoon (this year). We have set the target of 204 lakh metric tonnes compared to 187 lakh tonnes last year. There will be no shortage of seeds and fertilisers," he said, according to the PTI.
The Maharashtra CM urged farmers to purchase seeds from the central government's SAATHI (Seed Traceability, Authentication and Holistic Inventory) portal.
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"70,000 quintal seeds are traceable at present. Bogus seeds can be identified," he said.
CM Fadnavis said that suppliers will be booked under the Essential Commodities Act if they coerce farmers to purchase fertilisers when they buy seeds, even if they don't need them.
Digital workshops will be organised at the taluka level to apprise farmers about the latest technological developments in the sector, he said, adding that the Agriculture department has started an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered app called 'Mahavistar' to share updates with farmers, as per the PTI.
CM Fadnavis said his government aims to increase investment in the Agriculture sector with Rs 5,000 crore every year and an early warning mechanism concerning climate change so that farmers can plan their crops better.
Fadnavis said that district collectors were asked during the review to convene meetings of lead banks in their respective areas and ensure that farmers' credit (CIBIL) scores are not insisted upon before loan disbursals.
Earlier, this week, CM Fadnavis had directed banks in state to disburse agricultural loans to farmers without insistence on CIBIL scores, reported the PTI.
A CIBIL score is a credit worthiness mechanism of the Credit Information Bureau, which is used by financial institutions to assess loan applications, with focus on ability to repay.
"If farmers do not receive agricultural loans, it adversely affects the economy and increases farmer suicides. We have repeatedly instructed banks not to ask for CIBIL (score) yet they continue to do so. This must be resolved in today's meeting itself. In the past, FIRs have been filed against such banks. This is a serious issue that banks must handle responsibly," CM Fadnavis said, according to the PTI.
"The Reserve Bank of India has also issued clarity regarding farm loans. If any bank branch insists on CIBIL, then action will be taken against it," warned CM Fadnavis during the 167th State Level Bankers' Committee (SLBC) meeting held at Sahyadri Guest House.
(with PTI inputs)
