Maharashtra Budget has been presented in the Assembly and the state govt. has made a total allocation of Rs 31,000 crore. This is Rs. 6,000 crore more from last year for 2 crucial sectors of agriculture and irrigation. Accordingly, the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Shetkari Sanman Yojana (CSMSSY) loan waiver scheme launched in 2017 expanded to include khavti karz of farmers. In addition, a new Atal Arthasahay Yojana has been introduced in the Maharashtra Budget 2019-2020.
Maharashtra govt. to cover new schemes as well as old and some schemes which have been expanded to include those left out earlier. In this budget, water resource ministry has been allocated Rs. 12,597.13 crore for irrigation projects. Agriculture and allied sectors has been allocated Rs. 18,403 crore in the Maharashtra 2019-2020 Budget.
Among the new schemes, there is Rs. 5 / litre subsidy to milk farmers. Subsequently, accidental death insurance for farmers has been expanded to include family members.
CSMSSY Maharashtra 2019 – Loan Waiver Scheme to Include Farmer’s Khavti Loans
In the Maharashtra Budget unveiled on 18 June 2019, the CSMSSY crop loan waiver scheme will now cover consumption loans for tribal communities. The state govt. is laying emphasis on agriculture and irrigation to double production and income of farmers. The socio-economic empowerment of individual small and marginal farmers is necessary for overall growth of the state. Extended CSMSSY loan waiver scheme will include khavti karz. Khavti Loans are the loan given to small and poor farmers in backward and tribal belts and is specifically meant for their food needs.
The state govt. has sanctioned Rs. 24,102 crore to 50.27 lakh account holders under CSMSSY. In order to include more beneficiaries in CSMSSY scheme, the scope has been expanded and khavti loans have been included in it. Maharashtra govt. is also going to take decision shortly to those farmers who became ineligible for technical or some other reasons. For ensuring high rural outreach, the govt. has allocated Rs. 210 crore to expand the scope of insurance cover for accidental death of farmers by extending the cover to family members to benefit 5.5 crore people.
Atal Arthasahay Yojana in Maharashtra
A new scheme called Atal Arthasahay Yojana with an outlay of Rs. 500 crore. Under this scheme, the govt. will provide assistance to promote innovative agro-based projects by various cooperative institutions. In case of accidental death of farmers, compensation to limit of Rs. 2 lakh is given by insurance company appointed by govt. under Gopinath Munde Shetkari Apghat Vima Yojana. Till date, an insurance premium to approx. 1.37 cr farmers whose name appears on 7/12 extract is being paid by govt. to insurance companies.
Maharashtra budget allocated Rs. 390 cr for Bhavantar Yojana which aims to help farmers bridge the price difference b/w minimum support price and market price. All the milk producing farmers would get Rs. 5 per litre subsidy but the packaged milk is excluded from this scheme. Till date, 42 cooperative milk federations and private milk producers have been benefited under this scheme. To encourage export of milk powder, a grant of Rs. 50 per kg has been given to milk federations and private milk processing industries.