The Indian Express on June 8 reported that the government's own Cabinet note said the restrictions would reduce the state's eventual payout.Continuing to relax the eligibility conditions attached to the Punyashlok Ahilyadevi Holkar farm loan waiver scheme after facing sustained criticism over its exclusions, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday announced that farmers who had benefited under the earlier Mahatma Jyotirao Phule Shetkari Karjmukti Yojana would now be eligible for a loan waiver of up to Rs 2 lakh instead of the Rs 50,000 announced earlier.Under the scheme announced in June, farmers who had benefited from the 2019 Mahatma Jyotirao Phule Shetkari Karjmukti Yojana and subsequently fell into debt, were eligible only for an incentive of up to Rs 50,000, provided they had availed crop loans between 2022-23 and 2024-25 and repaid them on time. Friday’s decision raises that benefit to a loan waiver of up to Rs 2 lakh.The Mahatma Jyotirao Phule farm loan waiver scheme covered short-term and restructured loans, under which many farmers with loans exceeding Rs 2 lakh had received only partial relief. While a committee led by Pravin Pardeshi had recommended that farmers who had already availed benefits under that scheme should not receive another waiver under the newly announced Punyashlok Ahilyadevi Holkar scheme, the government had decided to extend them a benefit of up to Rs 50,000. However, following the insistence of all-party MLAs and a delegation of Mahayuti MLAs led by BJP MLA Randhir Savarkar, the state government decided to raise that benefit to Rs 2 lakh.The latest relaxation comes after Opposition parties argued that several eligibility conditions attached to the scheme would leave out a large number of distressed farmers. On June 8, The Indian Express reported that the state government’s own Cabinet note said the eligibility restrictions were among the reasons the government’s eventual expenditure was expected to be lower than the projected outlay of Rs 36,585 crore.Following the criticism, Agriculture Minister Dattatraya Bharne had said the government was willing to modify the scheme’s norms to ensure more farmers benefited. The state government subsequently constituted a Cabinet sub-committee headed by Fadnavis to review the scheme and suggest changes to its eligibility criteria. Friday’s announcement marks the first major relaxation of one of the scheme’s key conditions.“Maharashtra is the only state to have implemented agricultural loan waivers three times consecutively. There was a fear that the banking system might collapse if loans were not repaid in hope of a waiver,” Fadnavis said while replying to the final week resolution brought by the Opposition.The CM claimed that the Punyashlok Ahilyadevi Holkar loan waiver scheme is the largest among all the loan waiver schemes implemented so far. Fadnavis stated that while a loan waiver is not a permanent solution, the scheme was announced to ensure that farmers do not have to turn to moneylenders.Story continues below this ad“We had given our word to the farmers before the assembly elections. We have now won all the elections, so it is not the case that these schemes were introduced just to win elections. This scheme includes loan waivers, a one-time settlement, and an incentive plan. The government provides Rs 25,000 crore annually for electricity bill waivers for farmers, which is paid to Mahavitaran. If one looks at the agricultural department’s planning budget, Rs 95,000 crore are given to farmers in the form of various schemes and subsidies.”He further noted that the scheme was designed after holding meetings with all banks, and it is expected to benefit 56 lakh farmers, dismissing the Opposition’s allegation that the loan waiver would only amount to Rs 12 to 13 thousand crore as baseless.Alok Deshpande is a Special Correspondent with The Indian Express' Mumbai bureau, recognized for his focused and authoritative reporting on governance, politics, and the socio-economic dynamics of Maharashtra's hinterlands. His unique academic background in Geology and early work in the water sector provides a specialized layer of Expertise to his reporting on resource and environmental issues. Expertise Current Role: Special Correspondent, The Indian Express, Mumbai. Core Authority: Alok provides detailed coverage of Maharashtra politics and governance, with a particular emphasis on how policies and power struggles affect the rural and semi-urban areas (the 'hinterlands'). Key Coverage Areas: His reports frequently focus on high-stakes administrative and political topics, including: State Assembly Proceedings: In-depth reporting on the Legislative Assembly, covering ministerial statements, legislative debates, and inter-party conflict within the ruling Mahayuti alliance. Policy & Finance: Coverage of state finances, including supplementary budget demands, fiscal deficits, and major government schemes (e.g., Jal Jeevan Mission, Ladki Bahin Yojana). Rural and Social Issues: Reports on critical health issues (e.g., child deaths in districts), human-animal conflict (leopard attacks, stray dogs), and agrarian concerns (e.g., farmer suicides). Local and Urban Governance: Covers major announcements regarding urban development (e.g., BMC's OC amnesty scheme, pagdi system push) and local body elections, including political defections and alliance splits. Unique Credentials & Trustworthiness Academic Specialization: Holds a Post-graduate degree in Geology. This background gives him a foundational understanding of natural resources, which directly informs his reporting on environment, water, and infrastructure projects. Early Professional Experience: His shift to journalism came after working with an NGO focused on the water sector. This practical experience strengthens his Expertise in critical areas like water management and rural development, as evidenced by his reporting on the Jal Jeevan Mission. Journalism Training: An alumnus of the prestigious Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), Chennai, confirming his formal training and commitment to rigorous journalistic standards. Alok Deshpande's rare combination of scientific education, non-profit sector experience, and deep political reporting makes him a highly trusted and authoritative voice on the governance and ground realities of Maharashtra. He tweets @alokdesh ... Read MoreStay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on InstagramTags:Devendra FadnavisMaharashtra