States » WestPosted at: Nov 4 2026 5:08PM


Maharashtra gets festive boost: 73 lakh farmers receive Rs 5,000 Diwali advance

Mumbai, Nov 4 (UNI) Bringing significant festive cheer to the agrarian community, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced on Wednesday that advance drought relief of Rs 5,000 has successfully reached the bank accounts of 73 lakh farmers across the state.
Speaking to media persons, the Chief Minister stated that the remaining disbursements will be cleared within the next two days, ensuring that nearly 95 per cent of eligible beneficiaries receive their interim financial aid ahead of Diwali. Minor technical delays involving bank account discrepancies are actively being resolved, he added.
Bolstering the state's rural support framework, CM Fadnavis further announced that an additional Rs 4,764 crore has been credited directly to the accounts of 4,86,000 farmers under the Punyashlok Ahilyadevi Holkar Farmer Loan Waiver Scheme.
Marathwada has emerged as the primary beneficiary of this latest financial tranche, with over 2.76 lakh farmers in the region receiving debt relief credits. With this latest disbursal, the cumulative figures under the state-backed loan waiver initiative have risen to approximately Rs 19,000 crore distributed across 21 lakh accounts. The government noted that field-level verification and authentication processes are continuously underway to cover remaining eligible names.
Addressing chronic regional distress, the Chief Minister underscored that the Mahayuti government has allocated 7 TMC of water rights to Marathwada—a long-pending demand that is now reaching completion. This is poised to provide long-term relief from water scarcity, predominantly benefiting Dharashiv and Beed districts.
In response to political queries, Fadnavis noted that Mahayuti ministers and leaders have been encouraged to spend the festival visiting rural households and celebrating directly with farming families.
Addressing ongoing protests and political frictions, the Chief Minister defended the ruling coalition's rallies, describing them as democratic stands opposing forces driving instability ("regime change") at the cost of the Constitution.
On the ongoing sugarcane pricing agitations led by farmer leader Raju Shetti in Kolhapur, Fadnavis stressed that state intervention remains focused on mediating between sugar mills and farmers to protect grower interests while keeping statutory Fair and Remunerative Prices (FRP) protected.
State Minister Hasan Mushrif has been deployed to lead structured talks to resolve the deadlock amicably. UNI NEP NST CDS
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