Maharashtra govt has no record of Mumbai farmers entitled for loan-waiver: RTI

The Maharashtra government has confirmed that it does not have any record of the names of the farmers covered under the Chattrapati Shivaji Maharaj Farmers Welfare scheme in Mumbai city and Mumbai suburbs. The shocking information was obtained under RTI by a Mumbai-based activist.

Earlier in June, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had decided to waive off loans of farmers up to Rs 1.5 lakh completely under the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Krishi Samman Yojana scheme.

The declaration by CM Devendra Fadnavis that 813 farmers belonging to Mumbai were included in the farmers loan waiver scheme had surprised everyone.

RTI activist Anil Galgali had sought information from the government seeking details along with names of the Mumbai farmers figuring as beneficiaries of the loan waiver scheme under the Chattrapati Shivaji Maharaj Farmers Welfare scheme.

D M Rane, Public Information Officer of the Maharashtra government's, Cooperation, Marketing and Textiles department, informed Galgali that the government receives information from the State level Bankers Committee and according to that information, 694 Farmers from Mumbai city have outstanding loans amounting to Rs 45.04 crores and 119 farmers from Mumbai Suburbs have a outstanding loans amounting to Rs 0.12 crores in the basis of assumption.

The government does not have the list of farmers with their names and the list is with the bankers.

"It is really shocking that the government doesn't have the data in their hands. It was CM Fadnavis who tweeted the numbers of farmers who'd benefit from the scheme. He had given regionwise numbers. Now, the government is saying there is no such data with them? This is not acceptable" said Anil Galgali.

CM Devendra Fadnavis had announced and assured that the loan waiver will be given only after in-depth inquiry and cross checking. On the contrary, the government doesn't have any list on its records

One wonders how the loan waiver will be given to farmers if the government doesn't have the data on the potential-beneficies of the scheme.

NCP's Nawab Malik has asked the government to look into this matter as it may lead to serious financial scam.

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