Amid farmers' protest, Maharashtra govt announces complete loan waiver

Mumbai: Maharashtra government, on Sunday, announced complete loan waiver to farmers and said that a committee will be formed to decide criteria to waive off loans.

Soon after the government announced loan waiver, farmers in Maharashtra decided to call off their planned protest starting on June 12.

"Govt promised loan waiver and fulfillment of other demands. If they fail, we will again agitate from July 25, farmer leader Raju Shetti told ANI.

According to a Times of India report, farmers in Maharashtra have been protesting for the last 11 days demanding free electricity, a complete waiver of farm loans, grants for irrigation, appropriate remunerative prices for produce, pension for farmers above the age of 60 years and implementation of the MS Swaminathan Committee.

Last week, Chief Minster Devendra Fadnavis had said that the state will waive the loans of small farmers by Oct 31 which left the protesting farmers disappointed.

"CM had announced loan waiver for small and marginal farmers, today govt has accepted it based on certain criteria," Maharashtra Revenue minister C Patil said.

Scores of farmers have been agitating for farm loan waivers for the past few days which had turned violent in many places.