Shiv Sena asks Maharashtra govt to disburse loan assistance to farmers within 24 hours

Mumbai: The Shiv Sena on Friday said the Maharashtra government has not provided funds to District Cooperative Central banks for them to disburse Rs 10,000 loan assistance to farmers and demanded it to do so within 24-hours. [caption id=“attachment_3794073” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis. PTI[/caption] In a letter written to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, senior Shiv Sena ministers Diwakar Raote and Ramdas Kadam demanded that the state government immediately release funds to DCC banks and direct them to provide loan assistance to farmers within 24 hours. The Fadnavis government had on 13 June announced Rs 10,000 as interim assistance to farmers for purchase of seeds and fertilizers. The decision was aimed at pacifying farmers, who were demanding a loan waiver over non-payment of their outstanding loans. The government on Friday extended its scheme till 31 August, as against 15 July as announced earlier. “There has been no implementation of the government’s decision to provide an immediate loan assistance of Rs 10,000. Being the guardian minister of Osmanabad, I have received information that DCC banks there have not received any funds from the government,” transport minister Diwakar Raote said. He added that while on a tour to Dhule and Jalgaon with Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, it was found that DCC banks there too have not received any funds. “The farmers there too complained that they did not receive the promised help to buy seeds and fertilisers,” Raote said.