Pune: Expanding the coverage of its Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Shetkari Sanman Yojana, an ambitious crop loan waiver scheme that was announced last year, the State government has expanded the coverage of the waiver to individual farmers within the same family, for amounts up to Rs 1.5 lakh. The earlier waiver could only be availed up to Rs 1.5 lakh per family.
Cooperatives Minister of the State Subhash Deshmukh made the announcement on Friday at Nagpur. He made the announcement through an affidavit submitted to Vidhan Parishad and Vidhan Sabha.
The minister, speaking at the occasion, said, “Earlier, the condition was that if a family has a crop loan of more than Rs 1.5 lakh, on the payment of the amount exceeding Rs 1.5 lakh, State government would waive off the loan amount of 1.5 lakh,” adding, “Now, individual members of family who have debts, can apply for waiver.”
“This will reduce the burden on the farmers while availing the crop loan waiver as the amount exceeding the 1.5 lakh limit will be distributed among individual debt holders in the family,” Deshmukh said. “Every debt holding member of the family will now be eligible for the waiver of Rs 1.5 lakh and that will provide a huge relief for the farmers,” he further added.
Many opposition parties and organisations have welcomed the decision as they have long been demanding this provision to be expanded to the individuals of the family. “The Kisan Sabha had taken out a historic long march in March this year and had included this demand in its negotiations with the government,” said Ajit Nawale, of the All India Kisan Sabha, adding, “This decision will help members of the same family who have different debts, get some relief.”
