Mumbai: In an apparent bid to claim credit for the farm loan waiver scheme, a delegation of Shiv Sena ministers met Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday to press the State government to begin disbursing money to farmers on or before September 30, on which day Dussehra. The government will be giving money to farmers to pay off their outstanding loan amounts to banks. The process was scheduled to begin in October.
In a letter to the CM, Sena ministers said discontent is brewing among farmers as none of them have received scheme benefits after it was announced on June 28, 2017. State Transport Minister and Sena MLA Diwakar Raote said, “74 days have passed since the scheme was announced. The CM had said loan waivers would amount to ₹34,000 crore. It was expected that the money would be distributed to farmers for the kharif season, but technical difficulties and strict conditions are making farmers wait.”
Mr. Raote said farmers have suffered during kharif seasons, and the Sena believes they should not suffer during the rabi season. For this, the waiver amount must be disbursed at the earliest.
“September 15 is the deadline for farmers to submit application forms. Their scrutiny should be done in a week and money must be deposited in farmers’ accounts by Dussehra,” he said.
Sena leaders held protests at district collectorates across the State, and submitted letters to the District Collectors with a similar demand. Environment Minister and Sena MLA Ramdas Kadam said, “Whether in power or not, we belong to the farmers of Maharashtra. The Opposition parties are not doing anything; we have to be the flag-bearers. We are committed to the people of this State, and are raising legitimate concerns of farmers.”
The government has said 89 lakh farmers will be benefited by the scheme. Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi, who was in the State recently, had alleged that over 9,000 farmers have committed suicide since the BJP-led coalition came to power in the State. Mr. Kadam said suicide numbers will come down if the government rolls out the scheme at the earliest.
