Mumbai: It was a special moment for Vitthalrao Garud, a farmer from Parbhani district, who is one of the beneficiaries of the crop loan waiver scheme.
During a conversation with CM Uddhav Thackeray, DCM Ajit Pawar and other ministers, through video conferencing, following the release of the names of 15,358 beneficiaries, Garud invited all of them for his daughter's marriage. He said it was due to the waiver that he has no worries left.
Another farmer, Popat Mukte from Ahmednagar, hailed the government for proper implementation of the crop loan waiver scheme. He was happy that he did not have to move from pillar to post to complete the paper work.
Rahaman Patel, a farmer from Tamalwadi village in Osmanabad district, said it was the happiest day in his life as his loan worth Rs 54,114 had been waived and this had been authenticated by the district authorities. “I was unable to repay the loan due to successive natural calamities.
However, I am grateful that the government acted swiftly and launched the scheme in a record time,” notes Savita Gadhve from Amravati district, which has recorded highest farmers' suicides.
Shakuntala Sukalkar from Amravati district said her loan has been written off from March 2016, and she will now be eligible for a fresh loan.
Reactions are pouring in from beneficiaries congratulating the state government for making their account clean with the launch of crop-loan waiver. They were unanimous in their reaction that the entire process was transparent, hassle free and time bound.
Thackeray lauded the administration for being pro-active to launch the implementation of the waiver in a flat 60 days.
“The government is not doing any favour. Instead, the government is seeking blessings from the farmers who have benefited from the crop loan waiver,” he said. He called upon the farmers not to get angry if they come across any lacunae.
Immediately, after the release of the list of beneficiaries, the district administration launched an authentication drive so that the amount can be transferred into the loan account at the earliest.
