Mahayuti had promised to waive farm loans once it came to power, but has been dragging its feet ever since. Will rain annihilating farms across Maharashtra finally push state govt to keep its word?

A badly flooded area in Solapur last week. Heavy rain has destroyed vast acres of farmland in Marathwada. PIC/X/@TheMahaIndex

The government has no choice but to step in with both an immediate, sizeable relief package and, sooner or later, a loan waiver. Farmers are staring at survival- level distress after massive rainfall washed away swathes of crops across large parts of Maharashtra. Immediate relief will give farmers cash support for now to keep them afloat, and a loan waiver will help protect the fraternity from being branded as defaulters.

Most farmers survive on seasonal crop loans from financial institutions. These loans are repaid after harvest. But, with crops damaged due to heavy rainfall, repayment has become impossible.

While the government has temporarily halted recovery, it cannot be stretched for years or forever, unless the government asks banks to restructure loans or defer recovery for a longer period.

Farmers will soon have to start repayment of credit or get tagged as defaulters. This means doors to fresh loans will be closed. In that case, many farmers will not be able to buy seed, fertilisers and pesticides for the upcoming crop.

In such a situation, there will be no sowing, no harvest and no income. The farming fraternity, already reeling........

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