MUMBAI: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar clarified on Friday that his government cannot waive farmers’ loans because the state’s financial condition is not sound. He asked the farmers not to wait for the waiver and start repaying them.
This follows the Maharashtra government’s earlier decision not to increase the financial assistance to poor women from Rs 1500 to Rs 2,000 under the Ladli Bahena scheme.
Pawar, also the finance minister, clarified that farmers should not wait for farm loan waivers. He said, “Without money, you cannot do anything; therefore, we are not in a position to waive off the farmer loans at present. Farmers should start paying their loans immediately.”
March 31 is the last date for the farmers to repay the loans. “I never said and claimed after coming to power that we would waive off the farmer loan. It was not part of our party elections manifesto. Therefore, there is no question of deciding to waive the farm loan,” the finance minister said.
Regarding the Ladli Bahina scheme, Ajit Pawar said that they are committed to increasing the financial assistance of poor and needy women, but it will not be done immediately. “We are elected for five years, so the increase of financial assistance can be done at any time in five years. Besides, we are trying to improve the state’s financial condition by tapping different resources,” the deputy chief minister said.
The Opposition slammed the Mahayuti government for going back on its promises. Maharashtra Congress Legislature Party leader Vijay Wadettiwar said that while campaigning for the state assembly elections, MahaYuti and its alliance partners had promised to increase the financial aid and waive the farm loans if voted in power.
“Mahayuti has got a thumping majority because various sections voted overwhelmingly. People voted for them with hopes and expectations, but the MahaYuti government is not keeping its word. It shows they made hollow and fake promises just to get the votes. Now, they are making a u-turn. People will not forget the cheating by the government,” Wadettiwar added.