Taking a cue from its counterparts in Gujarat and Assam, Maharashtra’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government on Wednesday took a number of pro-farmer decisions and cleared a long-pending demand to apply the Sixth Pay Commission to State employees who retired during 2006-09. This comes in the background of the Opposition Congress’ victory in three Hindi heartland States and their announcement of farm loan waiver.
Drought measures
While the BJP-led Gujarat government waived off ₹650 crore on rural electricity bills and the Assam government approved a ₹600 crore farm loan waiver, Maharashtra’s Cooperation department on Wednesday issued directions to banks to restructure crop loans and stop loan recovery. This will be applicable to loans availed in Kharif 2018 season in 151 tehsils and 268 revenue mandals where drought has been declared.
As per State estimate, the drought has affected 82.27 lakh farmers and 85.76 lakh hectare farm land.
“Restructuring loans means that a farmer won’t land in the bank’s list of loan defaulters if he fails to repay it. It will convert small-term loans into mid-term loans, which will ensure that the farmer can pay it back in installments in the next five years,” said an officer from the Cooperation department.
Farm loan waiver
Maharashtra has paid ₹17,000 crore to around 44 lakh accounts under the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Shetkari Sanman Yojana, the farm loan waiver scheme launched last year. The State government has allocated ₹23,817 crore for the waiver of 50.85 lakh accounts.
For pensioners
A Cabinet sub-committee headed by Finance and Forests Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar cleared the decision to apply Sixth pay commission to all State government employees who were retired during 2006-09. The decision would cost the State ₹2,204 crore as arrears will have to be paid. Further, the decision will put the burden of ₹319 crore on the State exchequer annually. The decision will benefit 1.11 lakh pensioners and their families.
“The decision was pending for many months now as the pensioners had even approached the Supreme Court,” said a senior government official.
Group farming
On Wednesday, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis inaugurated a group farming training programme by Maharashtra State Skill Development Society under the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana 2.0.
“It is an important day as we begin with the biggest-ever training program for farmers. We have faced many problems with climate change, high use of pesticides and loss of sustainability. It’s high time we get skilled, educated and coordinate various efforts of the State,” he said.