Shiv Kumar
Tribune News Service
Mumbai, February 23
The Maharashtra government is working on a package for farmers with larger land holdings who are not eligible for subsidy under the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi (PMKSN), according to state government sources here.
Data from the Maharashtra government indicates that sizes of land owned by many distressed farmers in Vidarbha and Marathwada are larger than the 5 acre limit set by the Union government for subsidy under PMKSN.
"Farmers in Vidarbha and Marathwada with large land holdings are reeling under debt. The number of farmers suicides are also bigger here," says an official from the state agriculture department.
Since most of the agriculture here is rain-fed due to inadequate irrigation facilities, agrarian distress is far greater here than in Western Maharashtra, which enjoys good irrigation facilities and has a strong co-operative network, according to officials.
As per reports as many as 7 lakh farmers who are reeling under debt won't be qualified for the Rs 6000 annual subsidy being rolled out by the Central government. The package being worked out by the Maharashtra government would bring these farmers also under the subsidy net, according to officials.
In addition, the Shiv Sena, which allied with the BJP for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections, is demanding that the subsidy be doubled with the state government pitching in with the difference.
It is not clear whether the Devendra Fadnavis government would be able to do this before the Lok Sabha polls. However Shiv Sena leaders say the subsidy should be doubled at least before the assembly elections due in October this year.