Farm loan waiver: Pawar stated government position, says CM; will fulfil all poll promises, asserts Shinde

Pune/Pandharpur: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday defended his deputy Ajit Pawar over a remark on crop loan waiver saying the latter had stated the "government's position".

Amid a flutter in political circles over Pawar's remarks that emphasised the state's financial constraints to almost rule out a crop loan waiver, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said all poll promises would be fulfilled.

Pawar, speaking at an event in Baramati in Pune on Friday, had said "one can feign many things but not financial reality".

"A crop loan waiver was promised in the poll manifesto. But today I want to tell farmers to pay the instalment of crop loans they have taken before March 31. Some farmers are not paying their loan instalments assuming the government will announce a waiver," the NCP leader had said.

The state government will take a decision at the right time, the Deputy CM, who holds the finance portfolio in the Fadnavis government, had said at Baramati while reiterating that the current financial situation does not allow for a crop loan waiver.

Asked about these comments, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis told reporters in Pandharpur that Pawar has stated the government's position.

"He has never said it (crop loan waiver) will never be done," Fadnavis asserted.

Meanwhile, Deputy CM Shinde said the Mahayuti government will fulfil all promises made in the manifesto for the assembly polls held in November last year.

"Whatever promises we have mentioned in the manifesto, we will fulfil them. Each and every promise will be honoured. We will not call it a printing mistake," Shinde told reporters when asked to comment on Pawar's remarks.

Queried about the promise to increase the monthly aid under the Ladki Bahin Yojana from Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,100 as mentioned in the poll manifesto, Shinde said, "Once the economic condition of the state is strengthened, our sisters will be given Rs 2,100. Whatever we have promised, we will fulfil it."

The Shiv Sena chief also called for maintaining balance in the state finances, adding that funds should be available for welfare schemes, development, and employees' salaries.

He highlighted the government's support for farmers over the past two-and-a-half-years.

"We provided relief of Rs 16,000 crore for crop damages caused due to unseasonal rains," he said.

Shinde also pointed to an allocation of Rs 45,000 crore for allied agricultural businesses and ongoing initiatives like the Shetkari Samman Yojana and Crop Insurance Scheme as evidence of the government's commitment to the agricultural sector.