Mumbai:
Maharashtra Government firmly stands behind farmers who are in distress and will spend a sum of Rs 25,000 crore over the next five years to prevent suicide by cultivators and ensure their welfare, state Agriculture Minister Eknath Khadse today said.
Scanty rainfall and prevailing drought-like conditions in parts of Maharashtra have created a sense of despondency among farmers, but they should not lose hope as the BJP-led Government is committed to help them out, Mr Khadse said in his message to farmers on the occasion of 69th Independence Day.
He listed the decisions taken in the last eight months to improve the condition of agriculturists and emphasised the government will spend Rs 25,000 crore over a period of five years on their welfare and to prevent suicides.
Mr Khadse said the BJP-led government, after coming to power in October last year, came up with an insurance scheme that will benefit around 35 lakh farmers and has also granted Rs 1,500 per hectare to cultivate grass.
The government has also made a provision of Rs 34,500 crore for sustainable farming in the parched Marathwada region and deposited Rs 3,400 crore directly into the bank accounts of farmers who suffered crop losses due to deficient monsoon last year, the Minister said.
The Devendra Fadnavis administration, in order to help farmers who are facing financial crisis, has restructured their loans and also relaxed payment period, he said.
The Government has given a waiver of interest on loans taken by farmers for agriculture purposes and exempted exam fees for their children, Mr Khadse said.