Mumbai: The Maharashtra government has started implementing its Rs 36,585-crore Punyashlok Ahilyadevi Holkar Shetkari Karjmukti Yojana 2026 by releasing the first representative list of eligible beneficiaries. The move marks the beginning of one of the state's biggest farm loan waiver programmes, aimed at providing relief to nearly 56 lakh farmer families.
The scheme offers a loan waiver of up to Rs 2 lakh to eligible farmers across the state.
First List Released
Co-operation Minister Babasaheb Patil unveiled the first beneficiary list at a state-level press conference. The list includes 533 eligible beneficiaries from seven districts and has been released as a symbolic beginning of the programme.
According to the minister, the launch coincides with the birth anniversary of former Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar.
How Farmers Will Receive Benefits
Eligible farmers will receive an SMS from the government asking them to complete Aadhaar authentication. Once the verification process is completed, the approved loan waiver amount will be credited directly to their loan accounts through the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system.
The government said every eligible farmer will receive a unique identification number that can also be used for Aadhaar verification.
Registration Process
Before Aadhaar authentication, beneficiaries must register on the Agristack platform.
The authentication process can be completed at nearly 32,000 Aaple Sarkar Seva Kendras across Maharashtra using either the Aadhaar number or the unique beneficiary ID.
The government will also display beneficiary lists at gram panchayat offices, cooperative societies and bank branches for easy public access.
Banks and Timeline
The scheme is being implemented through a dedicated MahaIT portal using loan data uploaded by 53 banks, including 30 district central cooperative banks (DCCBs), 12 nationalised banks and several private banks.
Officials said loan accounts submitted by DCCBs were verified by auditors before the beneficiary lists were prepared.
The government aims to complete the process for DCCB borrowers by July 31, after which eligible borrowers of commercial banks will start receiving benefits.
Who Cannot Avail the Scheme?
Certain categories have been kept outside the scheme. These include former and current MPs and MLAs, office-bearers of local bodies, serving and retired government and semi-government employees, income-tax payers with non-agricultural income, and office-bearers or employees of cooperative banks, sugar factories, spinning mills, milk unions and agricultural produce market committees.
Eligibility Rules Relaxed
The state government has also widened the scheme's coverage by easing eligibility norms.
Farmers covered under the 2019 Mahatma Jyotirao Phule Farm Loan Waiver Scheme are now eligible for a waiver of up to ₹2 lakh, replacing the earlier ₹50,000 incentive for timely repayment.
The government has also relaxed repayment conditions. Farmers who repaid crop loans in any two previous years will now qualify for the incentive instead of repaying loans specifically during 2026-27.
