Maharashtra to waive farmers' pending power bills worth about Rs 58,000 crore, says Fadnavis

Nagpur: On the occasion of Diwali, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has made a major announcement for farmers. He said the Maharashtra government has decided to waive the outstanding electricity bills of farmers across the state. The amount to be waived is about Rs 58,000 crore.

Mr Fadnavis made the announcement on Saturday, November 7, while addressing a collective prayer meeting at Lohari Savanga village. The decision is expected to bring considerable relief to farmers weighed down by pending bills.

The Chief Minister said rainfall was low in the last monsoon, which created difficulties for farming. In such times, he said, the state government will stand firmly with farmers.

He also spoke of the government's efforts on village amenities and water availability. According to Mr Fadnavis, to ensure there is enough water in the coming months, priority has been given to building and improving farm roads, reviving old bandharas (small structures to hold back water) and various water conservation projects.

At the event, Mr Fadnavis cited the teachings of Rashtrasant Tukdoji Maharaj. He said the Maharaj's well-known work, the Gramgeeta, shows the path to the economic, cultural and intellectual development of villages. He said the principles laid out in the Gramgeeta remain useful today for the prosperity of villages and sustainable rural development.

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 Mahamune.

The proposed Rs 58,000 crore waiver is being seen as a major promise towards easing farmers' financial distress. However, details of how it will be implemented, who will be eligible and by when the waiver will be given are still awaited.