Maharashtra Farm Loan Waiver:- Efforts are being made by both the central and state governments to assist farmers across India in every possible way. While farmers nationwide receive up to ₹6,000 in annual financial aid under the PM Kisan Yojana, significant news has now emerged for farmers in Maharashtra. If you are a farmer residing in Maharashtra, there is good news for you: the Maharashtra government has officially launched the ‘Punyashlok Ahilyadevi Holkar Shetkari Karjmafi Yojana 2026’ (Farm Loan Waiver Scheme).
Under this scheme, agricultural loans of up to ₹2 lakh have been waived for approximately 56 lakh eligible farming families in the state. The government has decided to allocate ₹36,585 crore for this initiative. Additionally, the list of eligible farmers for the first phase has already been released.
Launch of the ₹36,585 Crore Loan Waiver Scheme
The Maharashtra government has launched a major loan waiver scheme worth ₹36,585 crore to provide relief to farmers. The scheme is not limited to loan waivers; it was launched to strengthen farmers financially and help them resume agricultural activities.
Benefits for 56 Lakh Farming Families
According to the government, approximately 56 lakh eligible farming families in the state will benefit from this scheme. Agricultural loans of up to ₹2 lakh held by eligible farmers will be waived. The state cabinet approved this scheme on June 2, 2026. Subsequently, certain eligibility criteria were modified through a government order issued on July 15, 2026.
SMS Notification and Disbursement Process
Eligible farmers will receive an SMS from the government on their registered mobile numbers. Following this, farmers must complete Aadhaar authentication. Once verification is successful, the loan waiver amount will be credited directly to the respective loan account via DBT (Direct Benefit Transfer).
Which Farmers Are Eligible for the Scheme?
The government has excluded certain categories of individuals from this scheme. These include former and current public representatives; office-bearers of urban and rural local bodies; government and semi-government employees; individuals paying income tax on non-agricultural income; and office-bearers and employees of district cooperative banks, urban cooperative banks, sugar mills, spinning mills, dairy unions, and agricultural produce market committees.
First phase to be completed by July 31
The government aims to complete the process for eligible farmers associated with all District Central Cooperative Banks in the state by July 31. Following this, the process of transferring loan waiver amounts to the loan accounts of eligible farmers associated with commercial banks will also commence.