The Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray (UBT) criticized the Maharashtra government for allegedly misleading poor, debt-ridden farmers, similar to the Ladki Bahin scheme beneficiaries. Despite the government’s claims of a loan waiver scheme benefiting 55 lakh farmers with Rs 2 lakh each, a significant number of farmers, around 34 lakh, are still struggling with debt.
The party highlighted that the newly introduced ‘Punyashlok Ahilyadevi Holkar Shetkar Karzmukti Yojana’ has complex terms and conditions, excluding over 50% of the state’s farmers from its benefits deliberately. This exclusion, according to the editorial, places a heavy burden on the remaining farmers awaiting relief.
Moreover, the editorial pointed out structural flaws in the scheme, disqualifying farmers who engaged in allied agricultural activities or livestock farming. Additionally, farmers who previously benefited from the ‘Mahatma Jotiba Phule Loan Waiver’ scheme are now receiving only Rs 50,000 instead of full benefits, raising concerns among experts and the Thackeray camp.
The Shiv Sena criticized the government for not providing special financial provisions for widows of farmers or families of deceased farmers, as promised before the elections. The editorial accused the administration of entangling the loan waiver process in bureaucratic hurdles, leading to the disqualification of numerous farmers in need.
