Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai
Mumbai, Jul 16: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has announced that the state government will waive around Rs 48,000 crore in pending electricity dues of farmers to facilitate fresh agricultural power connections.
Addressing a function organised in Mumbai on Wednesday to felicitate him following the announcement of the Punyashlok Ahilyadevi Holkar Farmer Loan Waiver Scheme, Fadnavis said the government had already waived electricity bills for agricultural pumps up to 7.5 horsepower.
However, many farmers were still unable to obtain new electricity connections as outstanding dues from previous years continued to remain in their names.
"To resolve this issue, the government will take a decision to waive the earlier pending electricity dues amounting to Rs 48,000 crore," he said.
Farmers honoured the chief minister at the Yashwantrao Chavan Centre for announcing the new loan waiver scheme, under which crop loans of up to Rs 2 lakh will be waived.
Fadnavis said the scheme would benefit 56 lakh farmers with a total financial outlay of Rs 36,585 crore.
He added that restrictions imposed on beneficiaries of the earlier Mahatma Jyotirao Phule Farmer Loan Waiver Scheme had been removed, enabling them to avail loan waiver benefits of up to Rs 2 lakh under the new scheme.
The government has also withdrawn the condition requiring eligible farmers to make regular loan repayments during 2026-27 to qualify for the benefits, he said.
The chief minister said the state was making significant investments to ensure sustainable agriculture through irrigation projects, water conservation initiatives, cold storage facilities, value addition, food processing industries and improved market linkages.
He said these investments were expected to increase farmers' incomes over the coming years.
Fadnavis added that the government was promoting the use of quality seeds, modern farming techniques, drip and sprinkler irrigation systems and digital platforms connecting farmers directly with markets through various subsidy schemes.
The state aims to make agriculture more productive and profitable by disseminating new technologies at the village level through partnerships involving agricultural universities, cooperative institutions and the private sector, he said.
Fadnavis further announced that the Centre and the Maharashtra government together would invest about Rs 95,000 crore in the agriculture sector during the current year through various schemes.
Calling for greater adoption of natural farming practices, he encouraged the use of Jeevamrut as a natural fertiliser and modern technologies such as Israeli fertigation systems, fully automated drip irrigation and artificial intelligence to reduce cultivation costs and improve soil fertility.
The chief minister also said the government was implementing long-term water conservation measures, including river-linking projects, to make Maharashtra drought-free.
Referring to the recurring floods in the Satara-Sangli region, he said efforts were underway to divert surplus floodwaters to drought-prone Marathwada through diversion barrages.
Maharashtra Agriculture Minister Dattatray Bharane, who was also felicitated at the event, said the allocation for the farm loan waiver scheme had been increased from Rs 36,585 crore to Rs 40,585 crore.
He added that the government was also extending financial assistance to farmers through schemes such as the Dr Punjabrao Deshmukh Crop Loan Scheme, Chief Minister Baliraja Free Power Scheme, PM-Kisan and the Namo Shetkari Yojana.