Speaking in the state assembly, the MLA accused the ruling Mahayuti dispensation of failing to fulfil promises made to farmers, including a loan waiver
Jayant Patil. File Pic
Senior NCP (SP) leader Jayant Patil on Tuesday claimed that the Maharashtra government's budget falls short on crucial issues such as farm loan waiver, rural development and social welfare, reported news agency PTI.
Speaking in the state assembly, the MLA accused the ruling Mahayuti dispensation of failing to fulfil promises made to farmers, including a loan waiver, reported PTI.
Loan waiver promise scaled down, says Patil
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who holds the finance portfolio, presented a Rs 7,69,467 crore state budget in the assembly on March 6, and said Maharashtra will become a USD 5 trillion economy by 2047.
He announced a loan waiver scheme for farmers, wherein crop loans of up to Rs 2 lakh till September 30, 2025 will be written off.
Patil said, "While the chief minister had announced farm loan waiver up to Rs 5 lakh during the election campaign, only Rs 2 lakh has been waived so far."
Many cultivators continue to struggle under heavy debt in regions like Vidarbha, he added.
The previous Maha Vikas Aghadi government, in which NCP (SP) was a partner, had initiated a substantial farm loan waiver programme in 2019, he told the House.
Questions raised over rising state debt
Patil also highlighted what he described as a "contradictory approach" by the government - of closing under-populated Marathi medium schools in remote areas to save funds while taking large loans for infrastructure projects, reported PTI.
He also pointed out that Maharashtra's debt had risen sharply from around Rs 4 lakh crore to over Rs 11 lakh crore in recent years.
The budget was not inclusive and focused only on infrastructure. Instead of doubling farmers' income, the state debt was spiralling to over Rs 11 lakh crore, he said.
Concerns over AI impact and economic growth
The legislator said he expected the government to spell out what steps would be taken to meet the challenges posed by artificial intelligence (AI), reported PTI.
On economic growth, the NCP (SP) leader claimed that Maharashtra was lagging behind other states.
Citing GST and sectoral growth data, he said that while Gujarat, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu have posted higher growth rates, Maharashtra has slipped from the top position.
Opposition seeks higher allocations for welfare sectors
Patil also raised concerns about allocations for social welfare, agriculture and dairy development sectors, arguing that schemes such as the Matsya Sampada Yojana and welfare measures announced for dairy farmers were underfunded in the budget, reported PTI.
He urged the government to address future challenges, including potential employment losses due to technological changes like AI.
"While the government talks about inclusive growth, the budget fails to translate promises into actionable provisions," Patil claimed, stressing that fiscal discipline should not come at the cost of neglecting rural and social sectors, reported PTI.
The debate over the budget is expected to continue over the next few days, with Opposition leaders scrutinising allocations across sectors.
(With inputs from PTI)
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