In his budget speech on Friday, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced Punyashlok Ahilyadevi Holkar Shetkari Karjmafi Yojna, a loan waiver scheme for farmers under which crop loans of up to Rs 2 lakh till September 30, 2025, will be written off
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Onion growers have termed "inadequate and misleading" the loan waiver announced by the Maharashtra government for farmers in the Maharashtra Budget 2026, reported news agency PTI.
In his budget speech on Friday, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced Punyashlok Ahilyadevi Holkar Shetkari Karjmafi Yojna, a loan waiver scheme for farmers under which crop loans of up to Rs 2 lakh till September 30, 2025, will be written off, reported PTI.
The announcement fulfils a promise made by Mahayuti parties ahead of the 2024 assembly polls.
Maharashtra State Onion Growers Association (MSOGA) president Bharat Dighole on Saturday alleged the government has failed to keep its promise to completely clear farmers' loan records, reported PTI.
"This partial loan waiver is inadequate and misleading. The government had promised to clear all farmers' loans, but the current decision waives only a limited amount," he said, reported PTI.
Dighole also criticised the announcement of Rs 50,000 incentive assistance for farmers who regularly repay their loans, calling it insufficient at a time when farming costs are rising, and market prices remain uncertain.
The farmers' association has demanded that the government waive all agricultural loans of farmers and completely clear their land loan records, or else a statewide agitation will be launched.
"If the promise of clearing farmers' loan records was made only to win elections, it would be a betrayal of hardworking farmers," Dighole added, reported PTI.
Maharashtra govt announces farm loan waiver in 2026-27 budget
The Maharashtra government on Friday announced crop loan waiver up to Rs 2 lakh for eligible farmers in the budget for 2026-27 and said Ladki Bahin Yojana will continue with adequate allocation for the scheme targeted at poorer women.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who holds the finance portfolio, presented a Rs 7,69,467 crore state budget in the assembly, 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.
The Punyashlok Ahilyadevi Holkar Shetkari Karjmafi Yojna will benefit farmers, Fadnavis said, adding there will be a Rs 50,000 incentive for other eligible farmers who are regular in repayments of loans.
(WIth inputs from PTI)
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