Congress slams Fadnavis-led government for "frequent" amendments to loan waiver

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis/ File Pic

Maharashtra Pradesh Congress on Thursday lashed out at the Devendra Fadnavis-led government for "frequently altering" the contours of the loan waiver scheme since its launch in June last year.

Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) spokesperson Sachin Sawant said the state government was never serious about the implementation of the loan waiver. The Congress also questioned the state government's claim about the number of beneficiary farmers.

"The state government had said that 89 lakh farmers will benefit from the Rs 34,000 crore loan waiver. The Congress has been saying that the number of farmers who have defaulted on loan payment is calculated since 2001. However, the government is lying by insisting that the number of farmers is calculated from 2012.

"The government then included the defaulter farmers since 2009 and now from 2001 as the beneficiaries of the loan waiver. However, the number of beneficiary farmers remains the same," Sawant said.

The state Cabinet on Tuesday approved an extension of the loan waiver scheme to farmers who have defaulted on loans since 2001, as demanded by agitating agriculturists. The previous cut-off was 2009. He claimed only 38 lakh farmers have received the loan waiver of Rs 14.5 crore.

"The number of beneficiary farmers will not be more than 40 lakh farmers. We call the government for a debate to prove how the loan waiver is not bogus," Sawant added.

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Edited by mid-day online desk, with inputs from PTI

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