Ten days after Maharashtra farmers called for strike, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led State government gave in to their demands on Sunday, approving the total farm-loan waiver demand in-principle.
The decision was taken in a meeting of steering committee and high-powered ministerial group led by Revenue Minister Chandrakant Patil.
"The government has in-principle accepted the farm loan waiver demand raised through this agitation. There will be certain eligibility criterion which we will decide in a joint committee meeting of farmer representatives and government officials," said Mr. Patil, in a press conference held after the meeting. Loans of Farmers with small land holdings were waived off from Sunday itself.
Dr. Ajit Nawale of Akhil Bhartiya Kisan Sabha (AIKS), who was the convener of the steering committee thanked the honest protests from farmers for the success and clarified that the agitation has not been called off but postponed till July 26.
"We will keep tab on the government to ensure our demands are accepted. If the government fails to accept our demands by July 26, a more intense agitation will be launched," said Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana (SSS) MP Raju Shetty.
