Maha CM Unrolls Aid for Rain-Hit Farmers, Loan Waiver of Rs 2000 Cr Announced

In a move to alleviate the hardships faced by farmers due to unexpected rains and hailstorms, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde unrolled a series of measures during the winter session of the State Legislature.

Addressing concerns raised in the Vidhan Sabha, Shinde assured that a loan waiver would be extended to 6.56 lakh farmers who faced setbacks due to software glitches. Moreover, a dedicated task force is set to be re-established to tackle the issue of farmer suicides, focusing on suicide prevention, increasing agricultural productivity, and developing a model to mitigate losses during untimely rains.

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Highlighting the government's dedication to farmers' welfare, Shinde shared that a substantial aid of Rs 44,278 crore has been disbursed through various welfare schemes in the past eighteen months. The Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Shetkari Sanman Yojana, in particular, provided a loan waiver of Rs 18,762 crore to 44 lakh farmers. Emphasizing the rectification of previous glitches, the CM pledged to ensure that farmers initially left out would now benefit from the loan waiver.

Shinde shed light on the aftermath of last month's unseasonal weather, detailing the widespread damage to rabi crops across northern and western Maharashtra, Vidarbha, Konkan, and Marathwada regions. Crops such as grapes, onions, tomatoes, mangoes, leafy vegetables, and cashews suffered due to the untimely rain. Recognizing the gravity of the situation, the Chief Minister acknowledged the staggering damage to crops covering 9.75 lakh hectares, estimating a compensation of Rs 2000 crore to be disbursed to affected farmers.

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In addition to financial relief, the proposed task force is set to play an important role in devising appropriate strategies to prevent farmer suicides and create a resilient model to mitigate losses during unforeseen weather events.

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