On the heels of the Telangana Government’s recent order outlining the modalities for its farm loan waiver scheme, Abdul Sattar, Maharashtra’s Marketing Minister, has called for a similar initiative in Maharashtra.

Sattar said that farmers in the state have been struggling for some time and urged the state government to announce a blanket loan waiver of up to ₹3 lakhs for farmers.

Sattar, a key figure in Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena, stated that both the state and union governments need to address this issue urgently and make a decision within a month. He expressed confidence that Chief Minister Shinde would consider the demand and provide significant relief to the farmers.

This demand aligns with calls from various farmers’ organizations for a loan waiver. According to sources within the state government, Chief Minister Shinde and his cabinet are taking the demand seriously and are working on the modalities ahead of the State Assembly elections scheduled for October. A loan waiver could potentially boost the Shinde government’s chances of retaining power.

Electoral advantage

In the recent Lok Sabha elections, Shinde’s Shiv Sena, along with its alliance partners BJP and NCP (led by Ajit Pawar), suffered a setback, securing only 17 out of 48 Lok Sabha seats in the state. A farm loan waiver might prove a significant electoral advantage for the Shinde government.

The Maharashtra government is considering adopting elements of Telangana’s scheme, which covers loans taken between December 12, 2018, and December 9, 2023.

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