Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday announced a significant expansion of the state’s farm loan waiver policy, stating that farmers who had previously benefited from a loan waiver but later became defaulters would now also be eligible for complete debt relief.
Addressing the media, Fadnavis said the decision marks a departure from earlier loan waiver schemes, under which beneficiaries of previous waivers were not allowed to avail the benefit again.
He recalled that under the Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Loan Waiver Scheme, such farmers had received financial assistance of up to ₹50,000, but were excluded from subsequent waiver programmes.
The Chief Minister said legislators from the ruling Mahayuti alliance collectively urged the government to reconsider the policy and provide full relief to these farmers.
“Under all previous loan waiver schemes, farmers who had already availed the benefit of a loan waiver were not included again. For the first time, we have decided to include farmers whose loans were waived under the Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Loan Waiver Scheme but who later became defaulters again. Earlier, they were given relief of up to ₹50,000. However, all the MLAs from the ruling alliance urged that these farmers should also receive a full loan waiver. We accepted their demand,” Fadnavis said.
The move is expected to benefit thousands of farmers who had slipped back into debt after receiving partial assistance under earlier schemes. The state government is expected to issue detailed implementation guidelines in the coming days.
Q1. What did CM Devendra Fadnavis announce?
He announced that eligible farmers who became defaulters again after an earlier loan waiver will now receive a full farm loan waiver.
Q2. Which earlier scheme did he refer to?
The Chief Minister referred to the Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Loan Waiver Scheme.
Q3. Why is this decision significant?
Earlier loan waiver schemes did not allow previous beneficiaries to receive another waiver. The new decision changes that policy.
