Succumbing to mounting pressure from various quarters, the Maharashtra Government on Sunday decided in principle to waive loans of all farmers as a whole and announced that the loans taken by small landholders were being waived with immediate effect, thus prompting the farmers to call off their 11-day-old agitation.
As soon as the decision was announced, farmers, who have been on agitation since June 1 across the State, erupted into jubilation. Earlier, the Government had announced to waive loans taken by only small landholders.
Through its decision to waive the loans of all the small landholders with immediate effect, the State Government prepared the ground for small farmers to take fresh loans from banks.
Following the State Government’s decision, the farmers not only called off their agitation but also withdrew their call for a State-wide “rail roko” on June 13.
The State Government’s “in-principle” farm loan waiver announcement came after the first round of talks that the high-power Group of Ministers (G0M) had with the agitating farmer leaders on their various demands.
During the talks, it was mutually agreed between the State Government and farmer leaders that all rich farmers, who pay income tax and who are not dependent on agriculture, would not be eligible for loan waiver. It was also decided that the State Government — together with farmer leaders-would soon prepare eligibility parameters for loan waiver.
Announcing the State Government’s decision to waiver farmers’ loans as a whole, an elated Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in a series of tweets said, “Government of Maharashtra and representatives of farmers reached a common census. Farmers have called off the strike.
Government agrees for loan waiver for farmers. Conditions and detailing will be finalised by a Joint Committee. Govt also accepts the demand of farmers to increase the milk prices. At the same time, the milk societies will have to agree with 70:30 formula of profit sharing on the lines of sugar industry”.
In a couple of more tweets, Fadnavis said: “Farmers and their betterment was, is and will always be this Government’s top priority. Group of Ministers will also hold discussions with various political parties for a broader consensus and inclusion.
Though happy with the State Government’s decision, a circumspect Swabhimani Sehtkari Sanghatana (SSS) MP and farmer leader Raju Shetti said if the Fadnavis Government did not implement its loan waiver decision by July 25, the farmers would resort to a more intense agitation from July 26.
Talking to media persons after the first round of talks, Shetti said, “The State Government has accepted two of our major demands -- loan waiver and clearing of 7/12 land records. The State Government has agreed to remove all those distressed farmers from the web of debts. However, there will be restrictions in the case of such farmers who pay income tax and who are not dependent on agriculture for their livelihood. In case the State Government does not fulfil its loan waiver promises by July 25, we will resort to more intense agitation. As part of the agitation, we will stop the supplies of milk and vegetables from rural areas to the cities in the State”.
Expressing his happiness over the State Government’s loan waiver decision, the former core committee’s convenor Dr Ajit Navale said, “We could achieve success because we farmers and farmers were united in our approach. Today is historic day. What has happened is unprecedented”.
In a related development, NCP president Sharad Pawar welcomed the State Government’s farm loan waiver decision. “The State Government deserves compliments for its decision. All the State Governments should not delay the implementation of its decision. We are expecting good monsoon this year. Now that their demands have been met, I am requesting farmers to get down to work during the Kharif season”.
Former Chief Minister and senior State Congress leader Ashok Chavan said, “It was because the pressure exerted on the State Government by the Congress and other Opposition parties that the Fadnavis dispensation has agreed in principle to waive the loans of all farmers as a whole. The Congress will continue to be aggressive in its approach till the State Government implements its decision”.
Meanwhile, farmer organisations celebrated the Fadnavis Government’s “in-principle” loan waiver decision in various parts of the state by bursting crackers and distributing sweets.