Fadnavis promises mega loan waiver
As the farmers’ stir in the state entered its sixth day, CM Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday promised a loan waiver scheme “like never before in the state”. The details of the package, the CM said, would be announced by the end of October. The cooperative and agriculture department, meanwhile, has started collecting information about dues of the farmers.
“We have made it clear that distressed farmers would get loan waiver before October 31. The details are being worked out. I can assure you that the loan waiver would be like never before in the history of the state and for that we need about four months’ time,” Fadnavis told reporters after a meeting with Union Urban Development Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu at the Sahyadri state guest house.
“The government is preparing an IT-based platform like the one developed by the Andhra Pradesh government to work out details of the loan waiver scheme,” the chief minister added.
Technology will help the government to detect multiple loan accounts of a farmer. This in turn will help the government to identify those farmers who are in need of the scheme. Almost 93% of farmers in the state are distressed, Fadnavis said.
“We are open to suggestions from all sections of the society and we are ready for discussions. But, it appears that a few people just want to remain engaged in politics,” Fadnavis said making an oblique reference to the Opposition parties. “I don’t want to name any particular party. People from the state have seen all these things. We shall welcome genuine suggestions,” he added.