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Farm loan waiver preperations in final stage: Fadnavis
“Discussions have already taken place in the cabinet. We are awaiting data from a few districts and once it is received, the loan waiver will be implemented before June 30,” he said.
Pune: Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday said the state government will roll out the farm loan waiver scheme before June 30, adding that preparations for the programme have reached the final stage.
Speaking to reporters in Pune on the sidelines of agri hackathon, Fadnavis said the state cabinet has already discussed the issue in detail and the waiver would be announced once pending data from a few districts is received.
The chief minister said that the farm loan waiver exercise was nearing completion.
“Discussions have already taken place in the cabinet. We are awaiting data from a few districts and once it is received, the loan waiver will be implemented before June 30,” he said.
Fadnavis was in Pune to attend the second edition of the International Agri Hackathon. He said four projects selected during the event would be developed into commercial ventures.
He also announced that from next year the programme would be renamed as the ‘Maharashtra Agri Hackathon’, while the award for the best project would be named after late Ajit Pawar.
Replying to questions on Maratha reservation activist Manoj Jarange’s call for a fresh agitation, the chief minister said the government has continued to take measures for the welfare of the Maratha community.
“Several institutions have been established and Maratha youth are doing well in competitive examinations and civil services. Scholarship schemes, hostel facilities and maintenance allowances are continuing. No scheme has been stopped,” he said.
Jarange has announced an indefinite hunger strike from May 30 over the community’s pending demands. He has also set a May 29 deadline for distribution of Kunbi caste certificates in Marathwada and alleged that the process had been stalled by the government.
Fadnavis, however, denied any major backlog in issuing Kunbi certificates.
“Certificates are being issued to those who fulfil the prescribed rules and criteria. The process is being followed as per Supreme Court directives. Sub-committees and eligibility norms have also been framed accordingly. The government cannot interfere in this procedure,” he said.
During one of the civic programmes in the city, Fadnavis appealed to party workers not to follow ministers’ convoys in private vehicles.
“Do not bring your cars and follow ministers. We must respond to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal to reduce fuel consumption,” he said.
