Loan waiver decision by June 30 next year unacceptable: Uddhav

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Nov 5 (PTI) Former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday said the date of June 30, 2026, given by the government for a decision on farm loan waiver was "not acceptable".

CM Devendra Fadnavis should clarify whether farmers are required to continue paying their instalments if the government plans to waive the loans, Thackeray said while interacting with farmers in a village here.

The Shiv Sena (UBT) head on Wednesday commenced his four-day Marathwada tour from Nandar village in Paithan taluka of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar where he interacted with farmers.

He will visit Pali (Beed), Pathrud, Shirsav (Dharashiv) and Ghari (Solapur) villages later in the day.

CM Fadnavis last week announced that a decision on farm loan waiver will be taken by June 30 next year, citing that it is first important to ensure cultivators get compensation for flood relief and also to prepare for Rabi sowing.

Criticising the government over the timeline, Thackeray said, "This date is not acceptable to us. We are demanding Rs 50,000 per hectare for farmers as compensation for their losses. The farmers also need a loan waiver now. The government says that it wants to study this issue." "Earlier, during my government, we did the study and its details are still with the government. Our government then granted the loan waiver," he said.

The state government has now given a new date of June 30, 2026 for the loan waiver, he noted.

"If the loan is going to be waived in June (next year), then should the farmers pay their instalments now or not. If yes, from where should the farmers pay the amounts?" Thackeray asked.

He demanded that farmers be given the loan waiver now.

"The government earlier said it would give compensation for excessive rainfall and floods to farmers by Diwali (last month). But Diwali has passed...the government is giving just new dates. We don't accept the date of June for the loan waiver. The loan waiver for farmers should be given now itself," he stressed.

Last month, the state government announced a Rs 31,628-crore relief package for farmers affected by the August-September deluge, which damaged crops over 68.7 lakh hectares across 29 districts.

Targeting the Mahayuti government over it, Thackeray said, "The package declared by the state for farmers is also unacceptable. But they should at least give what they have declared. We had demanded that at least Rs one lakh be deposited in the farmers' accounts till Diwali. But it was also not fulfilled." He claimed some farmers have received single-digit amounts as compensation in their accounts.

"The farmers in Palghar and Akola got Rs 2 as aid in their accounts. A farmer here got Rs 6 as compensation," he added. PTI AW GK