As drought intensifies in Maharashtra with water levels in dams dropping to 13 per cent, and over 15,000 villages/hamlets left depending on water tankers, demand for another farm loan waiver is gaining momentum.

The demand has gained political dimensions with the State Assembly elections due in the next few months.

Data collection

According to sources, the State government is collecting data on agriculture debt and has asked the Revenue Department to work out a detailed plan to estimate the financial burden on the State if it were to go ahead with another loan waiver.

Since immediately after the Lok Sabha elections, Opposition parties, especially Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), have been insisting that the government offer another loan waiver to farmers. Pawar is touring the drought-affected areas of the State and is likely to meet Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and submit a memorandum.

Opposition campaign

Opposition parties are targeting Fadnavis and questioning the impact of his ambitious Jalyukt Shivar campaign. Immediately after coming to power, Fadnavis had announced a campaign to make Maharashtra drought-proof by 2019.

The project involves deepening and widening of streams, construction of check-dams, and digging of farm ponds. The Opposition’s move to galvanise farmers on the drought and loan-waiver issue has put the ruling BJP-Sena alliance on alert. MLAs and Ministers of the ruling alliance want the Chief Minister to take quick steps before the NCP and the Congress create an issue out of the agrarian distress. The BJP-led State government had announced a ₹34,000-crore farm loan waiver in June 2017, which was supposed to benefit 89 lakh farmers across the State. In the last five years (2014-18), 14,034 farmers have ended their lives in Maharashtra. Over 4,500 of them committed suicide after the State announced the loan waiver. Over 85.76 lakh hectares are drought-affected, having a direct impact on over 82 lakh farmers.

Relief measures

According to the State government, majority of farmers have been given drought relief and steps are being taken to ensure that the affected farmers get the crop insurance amount without any delay.

The government has claimed that 34 lakh farmers have received crop insurance of ₹2,200 crore. The government has given permission to set up 1,501 fodder camps that are housing 10 lakh cattle.

While the kharif crop was completely destroyed by the drought, many did not sow winter crops either. All major crops, including maize, soya, cotton, mosambi, pulses, and groundnut, suffered due to poor rainfall.

Related Topics
comment COMMENT NOW