Maharashtra Sets Aside Rs 20,000 Crore For Farm Loan Waiver

The first day of the monsoon session of Maharashtra assembly began with the government tabling a supplementary demand to fund the farm loan waiver.

The Bharatiya Janata Party-led government, which announced the Rs 34,000-crore waiver about a month ago, made a special provision of Rs 19,577 crore towards the debt relief for farmers across the state.

“First provision of Rs 20,000 crore was made and we will seek approval in the House for these supplementary demands,” Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said. He assured the opposition that all their queries regarding the farm loan waiver would be answered during the course of the proceedings.

“There will be no time limit for such a discussion. It can stretch for long hours but the state (government) will discuss the issue with the opposition,” said Fadnavis.

Led by the Congress, the opposition demanded that the government explain its position on how it plans to distribute the waiver and also asked it to give out the list of beneficiaries. “We want the house to discuss the farm loan waiver and such a demand has been put forth,” said Dhananjay Munde, Leader of Opposition, Maharashtra Legislative Council.

The CM informed the house that to maintain transparency, eligible farmers should fill and submit a form online or can visit any of the 25,000 seva kendra across the state.

Congress' Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil, Leader of Opposition in Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, said since the government has already come out with the number of beneficiaries and has the data on them, the need to fill the form doesn't arise.

The government also set aside Rs 750 crore as state assistance to municipal corporations, excluding the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, in lieu of the local body tax.