Maharashtra CM Fadnavis alleges ‘bigger scam’, claims influential people received benefits

Nagpur: Admitting mistakes committed by the banks while giving benefit of loan waiver to Prakash Abitkar, legislator of Shiv Sena and a few other people, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said his government tried to implement the Chhatrapati Shivaji Shetkari Sanman Yojana with fullproof and without mistakes. He reiterated his claims influential people had received benefit of 2008 loan waiver acheme and termed it as ‘Bigger Scam’.

In a reply on a debate over loan waiver scheme, the motion moved by the opposition party members, Fadnavis presented report of special auditor, cooperative department, Pune which has mentioned Yuvraj Patil, president of Shetakri Sahakari Sangh was beneficial of 2008 loan waiver scheme. He read some other names from the list.

Jayant Patil and Hasan Mushrif, members of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) raised objections and said instead of recalling mistakes of 2008, focus on how farmers will get benefit of new scheme.

Mushrif said, “Kolhapur District Cooperative Bank had recovered Rs 112 crore from 5200  farmers who were given benefit despite not eligible. Nationalised Bank for Agricultural and Rural Development (NABARD) had raised objection and we had followed it.” Mushrif rewuested not to malign image of Patil and others who were not in the list of beneficial of 2008 scheme.

Also Read: Maharashtra-Shiv Sena MLA gets loan waiver benefit even without seeking it

In a counter attack, Fadnavis said, “If the audit report shows the amount has transferred in account of beneficiaries and if you are denying it, then where the amount went?” He added, “It would be bigger scam and we will find out it.”

Fadnavis said there were 37 accounts of the name Prakash Abitkar. The Sena legislator had not applied for the loan waiver. However, the bank transferred the amount in his account without verifying the account number.

He further said in Jalgaon, Vasantrao More received the loan waiver benefit as his account number was given to Latabai Suresh Patil.

Fadnavis blamed the banks for the mistakes and said, “We have signed an agreement with the banks and has given responsibility to verify account numbers. The banks will be responsible for any mistake,” he said.

Meanwhile, till Wednesday, 47,88,995 accounts were cleared and Rs. 23,300 crore has been transferred into beneficiaries.