The second list of beneficiaries of the farm loan waiver scheme of the Maharashtra government would be released on February 28, the Legislative Council was informed on Wednesday. Cooperation Minister Balasaheb Patil made the announcement in the upper house.
The second list would be announced on February 28, he said. The first list of beneficiaries covered 15,358 farmers. The opposition BJP had protested on Tuesday, slamming the government for its piecemeal approach, pointing out that there were 1.45 crore farmers in the state.
Peasants and Workers Party leader Jayant Patil demanded that the entire waiver process be completed before March 31 this year. Council chairman Ramraje Naik Nimbalkar instructed Patil to hold a meeting with officials and find a solution.
As per the chief minister’s office, 34,83,908 farmer accounts have been identified for the purpose of the scheme. The scheme to write off debts of farmers upto Rs 2 lakh was announced in December last year after the Shiv Sena- Congress-NCP government came to power.
