Maharashtra farmers resume protests for loan waiver

The organisations, headed by a state-level steering committee, blocked roads at various places including Rahuri and Puntamba in Ahmednagar districts and some places in Nashik and Parbhani

Farmers organisations from across Maharashtra resumed their protests over pending demands, including a blanket waiver for farm loans, support price for agriculture produce among others, today.

The organisations, headed by a state-level steering committee, blocked roads at various places including Rahuri and Puntamba in Ahmednagar districts and some places in Nashik and Parbhani districts. (File)

The organisations, headed by a state-level steering committee, blocked roads at various places including Rahuri and Puntamba in Ahmednagar districts and some places in Nashik and Parbhani districts.

The farmers’ organisations will hold rallies and road blockades across the state on August 15 too.

They also plan to stop ministers from hoisting the Tricolour at district headquarters on August 15.

Read: Maharashtra readies game plan for farm loan waiver

The organisations have turned down the conditional loan waiver announced by the state government and have demanded a blanket waiver without any cap on the amount for each farmer.

They have also been demanding the implementation of the Swaminathan commission recommendation in toto and want the cut-off date for the waiver to be extended to June 30, 2017.

The steering committee has claimed a huge response to the agitations since morning.

Aji Nawale, convenor of the committee, said, “More than 10,000 students and children of farmers participated in a rally in Akole city in Ahmednagar. The road blockade, staged by the Committee at Akole, too, got good response from farmers.”

Read: Maharashtra government expands scope of loan waiver, 3-4lakh more farmers to benefit