The proposed farm loan waiver in Maharashtra has moved a step closer to implementation, with the state-appointed study panel submitting its report to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday. The government will now examine the recommendations before taking a final decision.

Relief in sight

The loan waiver was announced during the March budget session, in line with a key promise made by the Mahayuti alliance — comprising the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction), and the Nationalist Congress Party (Ajit Pawar faction) — during the 2024 Assembly elections. The scheme is expected to benefit lakhs of farmers across Maharashtra by easing the burden of crop loans.