Govt relief for BJP MLA’s sugar mill, lift irrigation socs
The Maharashtra cabinet has approved the repayment of Rs 6.9 crore in loans by Shetkari Cooperative Sugar Factory in Latur’s Killari taluka, controlled by BJP MLA Abhimanyu Pawar. Additionally, the cabinet waived Rs 132.5 crore in loans from cooperative lift irrigation schemes, benefiting 42,846 farmers, despite financial strain from pre-election sops and a fiscal deficit of Rs 2 lakh crore.
Mumbai: The state cabinet on Monday approved repayment of loans worth Rs 6.9 crore in equal instalments by Shetkari Cooperative Sugar Factory in Latur’s Killari taluka. The factory is controlled by BJP MLA Abhimanyu Pawar.
Sources said the issue was placed before the cabinet because the loans were from 1981-82 and 2002-03. “The policy allows for repayment in instalments, but questions were raised about whether it can apply to the repayment of such old loans,” said a senior official.
The cabinet also waived loans worth Rs 132.5 crore, which were pending from distressed cooperative lift irrigation schemes.
This is expected to benefit 42,846 farmers. Currently, there are 2,659 cooperative lift irrigation societies. Of these, 261 societies have outstanding loans with banks. Of the 261 cooperative lift irrigation societies, 144 are currently running, while 47 are in liquidation and 70 have been deregistered. The waiver comes at a time when the Mahayuti govt’s finances are severely strained owing to its pre-poll sops. The state announced schemes worth Rs 96,000 crore in its July budget. The finance department has said the state’s fiscal deficit is around Rs 2 lakh crore. Despite the fiscal stress, govt has continued to clear a host of schemes and sops.
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