Under pressure, state FM looks to Centre for waiver

Ahead of Sena's strategy to stall business of the Assembly on farmers loan waiver issue on Wednesday, state finance minister Sudhir Mungantiwar on Tuesday indicated that Centre should announce a loan waiver scheme for farmers for pan India and not only for Uttar Pradesh (UP). Maharashtra will get benefit of the scheme, he said, while speaking to a regional news channel.

Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray has instructed not to allow proceedings of the assembly House till the Devendra Fadnavis led Bharatiya Janata Party, which Sena is also ally, will not announce complete waive off of loans of the farmers.

"This session is the perfect time to make such announcement," said Radhakrishna Vikhe -Patil, leader of opposition in Lower House. Whereas Dhananjay Munde, leader of opposition in Upper House challenged Sena to quit from the BJP government instead of stalling the House.

Meanwhile, Mungantiwar said, if Centre will announce a package or scheme to waive off loan of farmers, it will be applicable for pan India and not only for UP.

Amit Shah, BJP's national president and later Prime Minister Narendra Modi had made a poll promise in UP to introduce loan waiver scheme for the farmers of the state.

Mungantiwar said, "When the PM will announce such a scheme, ultimately, it will also be beneficial to farmers from Maharashtra."

Meanwhile, sources from state finance department said, “The state has burden of over Rs 3.20 lakh crore debt. Moreover, the seventh pay commission, if implemented in the state, it will bring another burden of Rs 6,000 crore."

"After abolishing Local Body Tax (LBT), the state has to compensate around Rs 6,000 crore to the municipal corporations. Hence, this is not the time to announce loan waiver scheme," he said.

The official claimed that even the Centre will not announce such scheme immediately and if it does so, it will be applicable to farmers having less land holdings only.