Fadnavis announces waiver of farmers' pending power bills worth about Rs 58,000 crore

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has said the state government has decided to waive farmers' outstanding electricity bills. According to him, bills worth about Rs 58,000 crore will be waived under the decision. He described it as a relief announcement for Maharashtra's farmers on the occasion of Diwali.

Fadnavis made the announcement on Saturday, November 7, at Lohari Savanga village in Nagpur district, while addressing a community prayer meeting there. He said the state government stands firmly with farmers in this hour of crisis.

According to the Chief Minister, rainfall during the last monsoon was lower than expected, creating several challenges for farmers. He said that, in view of this, the government is continuously trying to provide relief to farmers.

Fadnavis said the government has prioritised several key works to ensure water supply in the coming months. These include building farm roads, reviving old dams and barrages, and water conservation works. He said these would strengthen basic amenities in villages and help increase the availability of water for farming.

In his speech, the Chief Minister referred to the Gramgeeta of Rashtrasant Tukdoji Maharaj. He said the Gramgeeta shows the path to the economic, cultural and intellectual development of villages. According to Fadnavis, villages can be made prosperous and self-reliant by adopting its ideas, which remain relevant today for rural development and social change.

Among those present at the event were state Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule, MLAs Charansingh Thakur and Dr Ashish Deshmukh, Legislative Council member Dr Rajiv Potdar, Nagpur District Collector Kumar Ashirwad and Zilla Parishad Chief Executive Officer Vinayak Mahamuni, along with several dignitaries.

The announcement is being seen as a major decision for the state's farm sector. However, it is not yet clear which farmers will benefit under the scheme, what the waiver process will be, or when it will come into effect. Detailed guidelines are awaited.