Over 1.80 lakh farmers in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar to receive loan waivers totaling Rs 1,632 crore
A new state-led scheme, the Punyashlok Ahilyadevi Holkar Shetkari Karjmukti Yojana 2026, aims to provide financial relief to farmers in Maharashtra.
More than 1.80 lakh farmers in the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district of Maharashtra's Marathwada region have been declared eligible for loan waiver benefits amounting to a total of Rs 1,632.12 crore. This initiative is being implemented under the state government's newly launched scheme, the Punyashlok Ahilyadevi Holkar Shetkari Karjmukti Yojana 2026.
District Lead Bank Manager Preshit Moghe stated that the eligible beneficiaries include farmers who availed crop loans from various nationalized and cooperative banks across the district. The details of all eligible accounts have already been uploaded to the government's official portal. The authorities are advising farmers to verify their details to ensure a smooth transition of the waiver process.
A crucial requirement for the final disbursement is the mandatory linkage of bank accounts with the Aadhaar system. Currently, 712 eligible farmers have yet to complete this step. The official has urged these individuals to contact their respective banks immediately to finalize the documentation and ensure they do not miss out on the relief program.
The data shows that the District Central Cooperative Bank holds the highest number of eligible beneficiaries at 56,013 accounts, followed by the Maharashtra Gramin Bank with 35,676, the State Bank of India with 31,515, and the Bank of Maharashtra with 26,702. In terms of financial impact, the State Bank of India accounts for the largest share of the waiver amount, totaling Rs 415.08 crore.
The eligibility criteria apply to short-term crop loans taken between April 1, 2019, and March 31, 2025, which remained outstanding as of September 30, 2025, and were not repaid by March 31, 2026. The government will waive the principal and interest up to a maximum of Rs 2 lakh per farmer. For those with dues exceeding Rs 2 lakh, the state will provide a one-time settlement (OTS) of up to Rs 2 lakh once the farmer deposits the remaining balance with the lending institution.