Maharashtra farmers' strike yields loan relief

Mumbai: Bowing down to the agitating farmers in Maharashtra, the state government has finally agreed, albeit partially, to their demand for a loan waiver. While there are some riders for farmers with large land holdings, farmers who own up to five acres of land will get immediate and complete relief and can apply for a fresh loan from Monday.

The decision will benefit around 70 per cent of farmers with small land holding in the state, but the state exchequer will be saddled with a burden of around Rs 40,000 crore.

The Asian Age had reported on June 8 that the financial assets of farmers would be checked before the government grants them a loan waiver. As per the decision, farmers who own up to five acres of land will get a complete loan waiver, but certain financial criteria will be applied for farmers with larger land holdings to ensure that only needy cultivators benefit from the move.

The state had been witnessing farmers’ agitation from June 1, which had brought the supply of vegetables, fruits and milk to cities to a standstill initially.

Declaring the government’s intentions, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday tweeted, “Government agrees for loan waiver for farmers. Conditions and detailing will be finalisedby a joint committee. At the same time, the milk societies will have to agree with 70:30 formula of profit sharing on the lines of sugar industry (sic).”

The decision came after a meeting between the farmers’ leaders and a Group of Ministers.

The farmers were demanding an immediate loan waiver as opposed to Mr Fadnavis’ proposed deadline of October 31.

Speaking about the decision after the meeting, revenue minister Chandrakant Patil said, “All farmers will get a loan waiver with some parameters. Farmers with small and medium land holdings will get fresh loans from tomorrow. We are also going to drop criminal cases of political nature that were lodged against farmers during the agitation. A delegation under the chief minister will meet the Central authorities to demand the implementation of the Swaminathan Committee report. Also, we are going to increase milk rates soon.”

The government will appoint a joint committee comprising farmers’ representatives and ministers to decide the loan waiver’s parameters. “The committee will check the financial background of farmers, especially those with large land holdings. Some of them might be businessmen and working professionals who should not get the loan waiver, which is for needy farmers,” water resources minister Girish Mahajan said.

Welcoming the decision, Swabhiman Shetkari Sanghatana MP Raju Shetti, who was in talks with the government, declared that the farmers’ strike was being withdrawn temporarily. “Marginal farmers can get fresh loans from tomorrow so that they can get seeds,” he said.

Kisan Sabha leader Dr Ajit Navale said farmer unions would monitor the implementation of the decision till July 26. “If the decision is not implemented properly and demands are not met, we will continue the agitation,” he said.

Satyashodhak Shetkari Sabha leader Kishor Dhamale said the Andhra Pradesh government had already decided 32 parameters for loan waiver, which could be considered for Maharashtra too.