FARM LOAN ABOVE `2L: NO WAIVER

Minister says will work a way out; Oppn BJP accuses govt of ‘cheating’

Farmers whose outstanding crop loan amount till September 30 this year exceeds Rs two lakh, will not be eligible for the loan waiver scheme announced by the Uddhav Thackeray-led 'Maha Vikas Aghadi' government in Maharashtra last week.

The government resolution (GR), which specifies the criteria for the waiver, and issued on Saturday has come in for flak from various quarters. Several farmers' leaders and the opposition BJP criticised the Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress government, saying it has "betrayed" the farmers as a majority of them will not be able to get the benefit of the scheme due to this condition.

Finance Minister and NCP leader Jayant Patil, however, said the government will work out a plan to provide relief to farmers whose loan dues are over Rs two lakh.

CM Thackeray last Saturday announced the scheme, which was approved by the state cabinet this week. “As per the Mahatma Jyotirao Phule Farmer Loan Waiver Scheme, farmers whose loan is up to Rs two lakh taken between April 1, 2015, and March 31, 2019, and which has not been repaid till September 30, 2019, will be eligible for the waiver," the GR said. But if the principal crop loan amount taken during this period along with the interest exceeds Rs two lakh, and which has not been repaid by September-end, then those farmers will not be eligible for waiver, it added.

A committee of the Finance and Co-operation Department will take a decision on whether to include the NPA accounts of farmers in nationalised, private and rural banks in the loan waiver scheme, it said.

Individual farmers will be considered for loan waiver, the GR said, adding that loan taken from nationalised, district, co-op banks and coop societies will be considered.

Others who will not get the benefit of the scheme are elected representatives, including serving and former ministers, present and former MLAs, central and state government staff, whose monthly family income is more than Rs 25,000, excluding Class IV employees.

Those who pay tax on the income incurred from non-agriculture sector, pensioners whose monthly income is more than Rs 25,000, excluding former servicemen, will also not get the benefit.

BJP leader and former finance minister Sudhir Mungantiwar and state BJP president Chandrakant Patil also criticised Thackeray government for "betraying" farmers. "The Thackeray-led government has deceived farmers," they said.

However, minister Jayant Patil said the government was working on a proposal to provide relief to farmers who repay their dues regularly and on time.