Maharashtra BJP protests over farm loans, attacks Thackeray govt
MUMBAI: The Maharashtra unit of the BJP staged protests across the state on Monday seeking loan waiver and new crop loans to farmers.
The protests were led by state unit chief Chandrakant Patil who took part in a demonstration in front of Kolhapur collectorate.
"Monsoon has arrived, sowing is about to end, but the farmers still are not getting crop loans. The state government has not given compensation announced for farmers whose crops were hit by unseasonal rains in the recent past," Patil told reporters.
"They (the state government) said they will give Rs 25,000-Rs 50,000 per hectare compensation, but gave nothing. To cover that up, they declared a loan waiver of Rs 18,000 crore," Patil, a former state revenue minister, said.
Patil claimed the coronavirus infection broke out when some 7,000 crore of the Rs 18,000 crore had been disbursed, adding that 70 per cent of farmers eligible for the waiver still have loans pending as the remaining Rs 11,000 crore waiver amount was not paid.
"Hence, banks will not give new crop loans to these farmers now," he added.
Patil also picked holes in the state government's decision to give Rs 11,000 crore guarantee to banks to nullify loans to allow farmers to be eligible for fresh loans.
"On one hand, farmers are not getting new crop loans and on the other, the government is not procuring their produce.
The Centre has allowed Maharashtra to raise loans of up to Rs 1.65 lakh crore," he said. Patil asked the Uddhav Thackeray regime to take a "dynamic decision" in the interest of farmers.