Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday called for an immediate farm loan waiver in the wake of devastating floods in Maharashtra’s Marathwada region, reported the PTI.
During his visit to the affected areas, Uddhav criticised the state and Union governments for not doing enough to support struggling farmers.
“This is a severe calamity,” Uddhav Thackeray said while addressing farmers at Itkur in Dharashiv district, according to the PTI.
“Every time disaster strikes, the Chief Minister speaks of the ‘right time’ to offer help. When exactly is the right time — will you consult the panchang (Hindu almanac)?”
Thackeray asserted that the present crisis is precisely the right time to write off farm loans, referring to a similar measure taken during his tenure as chief minister from 2019 to 2022.
The recent floods, triggered by heavy rainfall and rising river levels since 20 September, have claimed at least nine lives and destroyed crops on more than 30,000 hectares, according to official estimates.
Uddhav Thackeray demanded compensation of Rs 50,000 per acre for flood-affected farmers, arguing that the topsoil has been eroded, rendering land unfit for cultivation for the next three to five years.
“The Rs 2,215 crore aid announced by the government is insufficient. If you divide it, each farmer gets just Rs 8,500. This isn’t enough to rebuild their lives,” he said.
Taking aim at the Centre, Thackeray said funds from the PM CARES Fund, collected during the COVID-19 pandemic, should be used to clear the debts of farmers in Maharashtra.
“I’m showing them where the money is. If the Prime Minister really cares, let him use the PM CARES Fund to make Maharashtra’s farmers debt-free,” he said, as per thee PTI.
He also commented on Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar’s claim that the government is spending Rs 45,000 crore annually on the Ladki Bahin Scheme, which provides Rs 1,500 per month to women.
“Will Rs 1,500 a month help these women recover from this disaster?” he questioned.
Uddhav Thackeray urged farmers not to resort to extreme measures, such as suicide, and assured them of his party’s full support.
“If you receive bank notices for loan recovery, hand them over to the nearest Sena (UBT) branch,” he said. “We will decide what to do with those notices. If there’s no loan waiver, the Shiv Sena will take to the streets with the farmers.”
Citing the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab, which has announced compensation of nearly Rs 50,000 per hectare, Thackeray demanded that Maharashtra follow suit.
(with PTI inputs)
