Maharashtra Home Minister warns of registering criminal cases against banks

Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh on Tuesday said that criminal cases will be registered against banks who are refusing or dawdling to give crop loans to farmers in districts across the state. 

There have been complaints by farmers against several nationalised banks on the issue of crop loans, Deshmukh informed while warning of registering criminal cases against such banks. This comes as the Kharif crop season has started and it is time for the farmers to sow their crops.

“In the entire state of Maharashtra, it is time for farmers to sow their crops. The farmers require crop loans but in several districts, the nationalised banks are delaying the process during this important time. This is a serious matter. The Maharashtra government will register criminal cases if this happens,” Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh said in a video message.

He further said that the Maharastra government wants farmers to get fresh crop loans without any trouble and a special order had been issued in this regard. 

Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Maharashtra legislative assembly,  Devendra Fadnavis on Monday said that the farmers were being provided substandard seeds and fertilisers at higher prices. 

The Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) demanded action against the Maharashtra State Seeds Corporation Limited, also known as MAHABEEJ, for allegedly selling substandard seeds to farmers.

Fadnavis alleged that the farmers were sold a bag of soyabean for ₹2,300 which is actually priced at ₹1,700 with government subsidy. He further said that MAHABEEJ didn’t provide government subsidy to the farmers. 

Meanwhile, After “Maharashtra Bachao Andolan” (Save Maharashtra protest), the BJP is set to launch another agitation across the state to press the demands of farmers against the Uddhav Thackeray government. 

The protest - Karj mafi kara, peak (crop) Karj deya - will be organised to highlight the “failure” of Shiv Sena-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government to provide loan waiver and fresh crop loan to farmers. 

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