Maha govt takes stock of farmers with heavy loan burden ahead of Modi's visit

On the eve of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Maharashtra tour scheduled on April 14th, state government is gathering information about indebted farmers, especially farmers with small land holdings.

BJP in its manifesto had assured loan waiver to farmers while going for Uttar Pradesh assembly elections. Soon after coming to power, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in his first cabinet announced loan waiver up to loan of Rs. 1 lakh.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis who was under pressure from Opposition for repeating the loan waiver for Maharshtra farmers has announced in state assembly that he has asked Finance Secretary to gather information about Uttar Pradesh loan waiver. Interestingly, state Government has started gathering the information about indebtedness of farmers in the state. The district cooperative banks have been asked to give details of farmers' loan especially which are long pending. 

Commissioner for Cooperation Chandrakant Dalvi informed that it was a routine circular which is send to all the cooperative banks so that Government can take stock of the unpaid loans. He informed that the information comes by April 30'th. A finance department official however informed that the information sought by finance department would be gathered in next two months.  Chief Minister Fadnavis has made it clear in the state assembly that loan waiver would cost state government Rs. 30,500 crores and it is not possible to go for it at this juncture.