Farmers won't be eligible for waiver scheme if loan exceeds Rs 2 lakh: Maharashtra government

Maharashtra government, in a resolution on Saturday, said that those farmers whose loan amount exceed Rs 2 lakh will not be eligible for the loan waiver scheme. 

Last week, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray announced that the loans of farmers up to rupees 2 lakh will be waived off and that the money will be deposited in the banks directly. 

Thackeray added that the 'Mahatma Jyotirao Phule Loan Waiver Scheme' will be implemented from March 2020.

"Under Mahatama Jyotirao Phule Farmer Loan Waiver Scheme, farmers whose crop loan and restructured loan is more than Rs two lakh will not be eligible for any benefit," the government said in its resolution today.

It added, "Loans up to Rs two lakh taken between April 1, 2015, and March 31, 2019, and which has not been repaid till September 30, 2019, will be given the benefit of the scheme." 

The Opposition had staged a walkout from the state assembly last week with leader Devendra Fadnavis demanding a 100 per cent debt waiver for the farmers.

In their Common Minimum Programme, the Shiv Sena, Congress, and NCP coalition government had promised a complete loan waiver to Maharashtra farmers. 

(With inputs from ANI)