Maharashtra govt announces loan waiver for farmers

NEW DELHI:

Farmers

in Maharashtra called off their planned protest as the state government announced its decision to waive their loans on Sunday.

"The government has decided to waive farmers' loans. The loans of farmers with small land holdings stand waived from today itself," revenue minister Chandrakant Patil said.

Agitating farmers had met with the special panel of ministers constituted by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis earlier in the day to hold talks and find solutions for the agrarian crisis.

"Our issues have been resolved. We have decided to temporarily call off our agitation, including the dharna protests scheduled for tomorrow and day after. If they (government) fail, we will again agitate from July 25," farmer leader Raju Shetti said.

Another farmer leader, Raghunathdada Patil, said the minister had assured them that "all loans" of farmers will be waived.

"The atmosphere now is like Diwali celebrations. 100 per cent of our demands have been accepted," he said.

The ministers' group has decided to restart fresh loan disbursal to farmers from Sunday, Raghunathdada added.

Farmers in Maharashtra have been striking for the last 11 days. They had threatened to intensify the agitation from June 12 onwards if their demands were not met.

The farmers pressed the state government for a complete waiver of farm loans, free electricity, appropriate remunerative prices for their produce, grants for irrigation, pension for farmers who are 60 years and above, and implementation of the MS Swaminathan Committee.

Last week, over half a million farmers across Maharashtra, barring the coastal Konkan, had resorted to an unprecedented strike, which was marred by several violent incidents.

Following a round of talks between farmers and CM Fadnavis on June 3, the state government had assured that loans of small land-owning farmers will be waived by October 31. The government had also agreed to waive off penalty and interest on power dues.