Mumbai, March 7 Onion growers have described the loan waiver announced by the Maharashtra government for farmers in the 2026-27 state budget as "inadequate and misleading."
In his budget speech on Friday, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced the Punyashlok Ahilyadevi Holkar Shetkari Karjmafi Yojna, a loan waiver scheme for farmers, under which crop loans up to Rs 2 lakh will be written off until September 30, 2025.
This announcement fulfills a promise made by the Mahayuti coalition parties ahead of the 2024 assembly elections.
Bharat Dighole, president of the Maharashtra State Onion Growers Association (MSOGA), alleged on Saturday that the government has failed to keep its promise to completely clear farmers' loan records.
"This partial loan waiver is inadequate and misleading. The government had promised to clear all farmers' loans, but the current decision only waives a limited amount," he said.
Dighole also criticised the announcement of a Rs 50,000 incentive for farmers who regularly repay their loans, calling it insufficient at a time when farming costs are rising and market prices remain uncertain.
The farmers' association has demanded that the government waive all agricultural loans of farmers and completely clear their land loan records, or else a statewide agitation will be launched.
"If the promise of clearing farmers' loan records was made only to win elections, it would be a betrayal of hardworking farmers," Dighole added.
