Maharashtra to study UP model on farm loan waiver: Devendra Fadnavis

Mumbai, April 5 : Under pressure from ruling ally Shiv Sena and the opposition clamouring for farm loans waiver, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday said the Maharashtra government is studying the Uttar Pradesh model to help farmers.

"I have already instructed the state Finance Secretary to study the UP farm loan waiver model and see how it can be implemented here," Fadnavis informed the state legislature.

He said the government has already sought central assistance to write off the farm debts here, but in case that was not possible the state government would explore ways and means through its own resources.

"We are working hard to help our farmers since day one of our government," Fadnavis assured amidst loud demands for making farmers debt-free from the BJP ally Shiv Sena, Congress, Nationalist Congress Party and others.

Fadnavis' assurance came a day after the shocking incident of two graduate debt-ridden farmer-brothers ending their lives in Satara on Tuesday.

According to Satara Superintendent of Police Sandip Patil, the deceased were Jagannath Chavan and his brother Vijay Chavan, both science graduates, married and having two sons each.

They ran an agro-processing unit in MIDC, Karad and were being harassed by recovery agents for repaying a loan of around Rs five million, Patil said.

On Monday, Vijay consumed poison at the factory. After hearing the tragedy, his brother Jagannath also jumped before a train and ended his life.

Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray has lauded Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's announcement writing off all farm-debts upto Rs one lakh for the farmers of his state.

"It's a creditable achievement, he has kept his pre-poll promise... He has proved that election promises need not be mere 'jumlas', but can be implemented," Thackeray said in a statement in party mouthpiece Saamana Group.

"If the CM of the biggest state (UP) in the country can do it, then why should the CM of the largest agricultural state (Maharashtra) lag behind? We want a complete farm loans waiver... That is our demand and will always remain," Thackeray declared grimly.

The Maharashtra Congress-NCP and other parties who completed a weeklong 'Sangharsh Yatra' across the state on Tuesday for farm loans waiver, raised the same demand again vociferously.