Mumbai: Veteran BJP leader and former minister Eknath Khadse, who is vocal in expressing displeasure over the present state of BJP's functioning, has welcomed Maha Vikas Aghadi government's crop loan waiver scheme of up to Rs 2 lakh with the cut-off date of September 30. Khadse's move to shower praise over the MVA government headed by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray is contrary to the party line as former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and a couple of other leaders have criticized the crop loan waiver.
BJP has decided to launch a state wide agitation against the MVA government as the party is of the view that Thackeray has failed to keep its promise of providing complete loan waiver to farmers. Former minister Rana Jagatjit Singh, who was elected from BJP after quitting NCP, has announced that farmers will be mobilized against the loan waiver scheme which is quite inadequate.
Crop loans outstanding till September 30, 2019, will be waived by the MVA government. The upper ceiling for the amount is Rs 2 lakh. It is seen as the first step towards fulfilling the promise made in the common minimum programme. The government in due course of time will announce another scheme for the farmers who repay their loans on time.
Khadse, who has scoffed reports of leaving BJP despite his humiliation, welcomed the crop loan waiver scheme named after the social reformer Mahatma Jyotirao Phule. ‘’Even though the crop loan waiver scheme will not fully satisfy the farmers, it will certainly give a partial relief to them,’’ he noted.
Khadse however, declined to further comment on crop loan waiver as the government has yet to reveal the criteria for its implementation and the number of beneficiaries. Further, Khadse said it is still known how many farmers will need to be covered under the crop loan waiver scheme announced by the previous BJP led government in the state in July 2017 and whether they will be eligible for the new scheme.
Thackeray and finance minister Jayant Patil have strongly defended the crop loan waiver scheme saying that the waiver would be unconditional, and details would be communicated by the chief minister’s office in due course.
