Under the Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Debt Waiver Scheme, the Mahavikas Aghadi government is committed to providing financial incentives of Rs 50,000 each to the farmers who repay their loans regularly, announced the Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who holds the planning and finance departments, in the state assembly during question hour.
Pawar intervened in reply to a question raised by the Shiv Sena legislator Prakash Abitkar.
Pawar admitted that there was a delay in providing such aid due to the financial position impacted following the coronavirus pandemic. ‘’The coronavirus induced lockdown has led to a reduction in the state’s revenue by Rs 1.5 lakh crore. However, the farmers, who are repaying their loans regularly, will be provided assistance after the financial situation returns to normal,’’ he said.
He also said that it was the only state to provide crop loans up to Rs 3 lakh at zero percent interest to farmers who repay their loans on time.
After Maha Vikas Aghadi took over, the government had announced the loan waiver scheme which proposed a full loan waiver to farmers having debt upto Rs 2 lakh and providing assistance of Rs 50,000 to the farmers who regularly repay debt.
Pawar said under the loan waiver scheme the government has disbursed Rs 20,290 crore to 31.81 lakh farmers.
