Maharashtra Punyashlok Ahilyadevi Holkar Shetkari Karjmafi Yojana

Scheme Introduction: A Brief Overview

• The Government of Maharashtra presented its Budget 2026-27 on 6 March 2026, announcing several welfare initiatives for the state's population.
• Among the key announcements, a major relief measure was introduced specifically for farmers.
• The government unveiled the Punyashlok Ahilyadevi Holkar Shetkari Karjmafi Yojana to support farmers facing agricultural loan burdens.
• Under this scheme, eligible farmers will receive a crop loan waiver of up to Rs. 2,00,000.
• This step is expected to bring significant relief to farmers who are struggling to repay their crop loans due to financial difficulties.
• The primary aim of the scheme is to reduce the debt burden on farmers and improve their financial stability.
• The Department of Agriculture, Government of Maharashtra, will act as the implementing authority responsible for carrying out the scheme across the state.
• Through this initiative, the state government intends to ensure that farmers do not continue to suffer because of unpaid agricultural loans.
• In addition to the loan waiver benefit, the government has also announced an incentive of Rs. 50,000 for farmers who have been regularly repaying their loans on time.
• The government has further indicated that long-term measures will also be taken to help farmers move towards becoming debt-free in a sustainable manner.
• According to the proposed eligibility criteria, farmers whose crop loans are overdue as of 30 September 2025 and whose outstanding loan amount is up to Rs. 2,00,000 can apply for benefits under the Punyashlok Ahilyadevi Holkar Shetkari Karjmafi Yojana.
• Apart from this initiative, the Maharashtra government is already running another farmer welfare scheme called Namo Shetkari Maha Samman Nidhi Yojana, under which eligible farmers receive Rs. 6,000 per year directly in their bank accounts.
• With the launch of the Punyashlok Ahilyadevi Holkar Shetkari Karjmafi Yojana, the state government has taken another significant step toward strengthening financial support for farmers in Maharashtra.

Scheme Benefits

• Eligible farmers can receive a crop loan waiver of up to Rs. 2,00,000 under Punyashlok Ahilyadevi Holkar Shetkari Karjmafi Yojana.
• Farmers who have been repaying their loans regularly and on time will also be given an incentive amount of Rs. 50,000 as a reward for their repayment discipline.
• The state government has also indicated that long-term steps will be taken to help farmers move towards becoming debt-free in a sustainable way.
• Any outstanding crop loan that existed on or before 30 September 2025 will be considered eligible for waiver under this scheme.

Eligibility Requirements

• Only those farmers who are permanent residents of Maharashtra will be considered eligible to apply.
• The farmer's crop loan must be overdue as of 30 September 2025 to qualify under the scheme.
• In addition, the total outstanding crop loan of the beneficiary farmer should not exceed Rs. 2 lakh for getting the benefit under Punyashlok Ahilyadevi Holkar Shetkari Karjmafi Yojana.

Required Documents

• Farmer Aadhaar Card.
• Mobile Number.
• Crop Loan Details.
• Registration Number of Farmer Registry.

Steps to Apply

• The Government of Maharashtra presented the Budget 2026-27 and announced a major relief scheme for farmers called Punyashlok Ahilyadevi Holkar Shetkari Karjmafi Yojana.
• Under this scheme, farmers whose crop loans are pending as of 30 September 2025 may receive a loan waiver of up to Rs. 2,00,000.
• In addition, farmers who regularly repay their loans on time will also be rewarded with an incentive benefit of Rs. 50,000.
• Now the main question many farmers have is how they can apply and receive the benefits under this loan waiver scheme introduced by the Government of Maharashtra.
• As of now, the state government has not released a detailed or official application procedure.
• However, based on how previous farm loan waiver schemes in Maharashtra were implemented, the application process is expected to be handled through the bank from which the farmer took the crop loan.
• Farmers will likely need to visit the same bank branch where their agricultural loan was issued.
• After reaching the bank, they should speak with the bank officials and inform them that they want to avail the loan waiver benefit under the Punyashlok Ahilyadevi Holkar Shetkari Karjmafi Yojana.
• The bank staff will then verify the loan details and explain the next steps, including whether the loan falls under the eligibility criteria of the scheme.
• Before visiting the bank, farmers should keep some important documents ready, such as loan papers, Aadhaar card, and a bank passbook.
• Having these documents prepared in advance will help avoid delays and make the process easier.
• If farmers face any difficulty or need further clarification about the scheme, they can also contact the District Agriculture Officer in their area for guidance regarding the Punyashlok Ahilyadevi Holkar Shetkari Karjmafi Yojana.

Relevant Links

• Maharashtra Department of Agriculture Website.

Contact Information

• Maharashtra Department of Agriculture Number :- 020 26123648.
• Maharashtra Department of Agriculture Email :- comm.agripune-mh@gov.in.