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Farmers in Maharashtra to Get Government Money Directly in Bank Accounts

Maharashtra has decided to credit farmers’ money directly into their bank accounts on either monthly basis or yearly basis. According to the state government officials, the amount could be anything in between Rs 5,000 - Rs 10,000 a year. A senior official told, “Officials from the finance and agriculture departments will hold a meeting this week to see how the money could be given to the farmers”.

Abha Toppo

Maharashtra has decided to credit farmers’ money directly into their bank accounts on either a monthly basis or yearly basis. According to the state government officials, the amount could be anything in between Rs 5,000 - Rs 10,000 a year. A senior official told, “Officials from the finance and agriculture departments will hold a meeting this week to see how the money could be given to the farmers”.

Another official said that the government is studying different methods — from that followed by Telangana state to that by Odisha. Telangana gives Rs 4,000/acre to a farmer in a sowing season and Odisha, on the other hand, gives Rs 5,000/ cropping season to small as well as marginal farmers in the state.

As per sources, Maharashtra government is considering something on the line of Odisha since Telangana has not put a limit on the number of acres held by a farmer while distributing the cash. In view of that, in Telangana, even a 50 to 100-acre landholding makes a farmer eligible for the money. According to discussions with officials, there might be a limit on the number of acres that a farmer could obtain, ranging from 2.5 to 5 acres. They said “This will cover the small as well as marginal farmers and will benefit them. And if you extend to farmers with more than 5 acres, then the plan would be unsustainable for the state”.

It will be difficult for the state to meet the expenses even after keeping the farmers with more than 5 acres of land outside the largesse boundary. It must be noted that Maharashtra is reeling under an a-Rs 4-lakh crore debt burden that is increasing exponentially every year. It paid Rs 28,220 crore as interest in 2017. Hence if it starts another monthly or yearly pay-out, it will increase further.

Chandrakant Patil, Maharashtra Revenue Minister on 5th January has mooted the idea of growers depositing a particular amount - ranging from Rs 10,000 - 50,000 with the government. Maharashtra would then add Rs 10,000 to this and give to farmers at equated monthly instalments.

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