Maharashtra Tightens Farm Loan Waiver Checks After Previous Scheme Flaws

The Maharashtra government is set to release the first list of beneficiaries under its flagship Punyashlok Ahilyadevi Holkar Farm Loan Waiver Scheme on Wednesday. In a bid to avoid the controversy that surrounded the Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana, officials have introduced an additional round of eligibility checks, including verification with Income Tax records.

A senior official from the Cooperation Department stated that the names of around 25 lakh probable beneficiaries have been shared with the Income Tax Department. The purpose is to identify and exclude farmers who are income tax payers, as they are ineligible for the scheme. “The list of probable beneficiaries was shared with the Income Tax department. Farmers who are income tax payers will be excluded before the final list is published,” the official said.

The move comes after the Ladki Bahin scheme faced criticism over alleged inclusion of ineligible beneficiaries and lack of proper screening. The government is now taking proactive steps to ensure that only eligible farmers benefit from the waiver. The loan waiver scheme is named after the 18th-century queen Punyashlok Ahilyadevi Holkar and aims to provide relief to marginal and small farmers in the state.

Officials added that the entire process is being conducted transparently to maintain public trust. Further details on the final list and the total number of beneficiaries are expected after the list is published on Wednesday.