Maha to write off farm loans worth `34Kcr

Ministers, MLAs to give 1 month salary

The Maharashtra Cabinet on Saturday approved farm loan waiver of `34,022 crore, which is expected to completely wipe out the debt of about 36 lakh farmers while providing partial relief to 33 lakh others in the state.

Loan amounts of up to `1.5 lakh, taken before June 30, 2016, will be waived off completely, benefiting 36 lakh farmers who failed to repay their loans since 2012-13. Partial waiver will be given to about eight lakh farmers whose loan amounts are more than `1.5 lakh.

About 35 lakh farmers, who have repaid their loans on time, will either receive a subsidy or 25 per cent of their loan, amounting to not more than `1.5 lakh, will be waived off.

In all, about 89 lakh farmers will benefit from the loan waiver.

“This is a historic decision. No other state has taken such huge decision in favour of farmers. This decision endorses our commitment to the welfare of farmers,” chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, flanked by his entire Cabinet, said while making the announcement.

The state government has tried to strike an emotional cord by naming the scheme “Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Krushi Sanman Yojana.”

Earlier this month,

New Delhi, June 24: The CBI arrested former assistant director in Enforcement Directorate, N.B. Singh for allegedly receiving `4 lakh of `50 lakh bribe amount from an accused in the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) scam.

Mr Singh, who was posted in the Lucknow office of the ED, along with a middleman Subhash was allegedly threatening to attach properties of an accused in the NRHM scam.

They were demanding `50 lakh bribe to be “lenient” in the matter.

The officer was relieved by the Enforcement Directorate on May 18, but he continued going to office on the pretext of formalities of handing over the charge, the sources said.

They said the duo was arrested following a trap operation by the CBI, while they were receiving `4 lakh as part payment of the total bribe amount.

Mr Singh belongs to the Central excise and customs service and was deputed in the ED. He was

N.B. Singh, who was posted in the Lucknow office of the ED, along with a middleman Subhash was allegedly threatening to attach properties of an accused in the NRHM scam

handling certain cases of the NRHM scam.

The ED is also mulling to register a money laundering case against him.

The CBI had registered the case based on a complaint from one Surendra Chowdhary, who is facing the agency probe in one of the cases related to the scam.

Mr Chowdhary in his complaint to the CBI said Singh had called him in the office, accusing him of causing loss to the tune of `21 crore to the exchequer.

He apparently clarified that the loss was not of `21 crore and was merely `2 crore, and that he had deposited the same in a CBI court. — PTI