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If you are a farmer in Maharashtra and have taken an agricultural loan, there is great news for you. The Maharashtra government has officially launched the 'Punyashlok Ahilyadevi Holkar Shetkari Karjmafi Yojana 2026' (Farmer Loan Waiver Scheme). Under this scheme, agricultural loans of up to ₹2 lakh for approximately 56 lakh eligible farmer families in the state will be waived. The government has decided to spend ₹36,585 crore on this scheme. Additionally, a list of eligible farmers for the first phase has already been released.

**₹36,585 Crore Loan Waiver Scheme Launched**
The Maharashtra government has launched this major loan waiver scheme worth ₹36,585 crore to provide relief to farmers. The scheme is not limited to merely waiving loans; it also aims to strengthen farmers financially and assist them in resuming agricultural activities.

**56 Lakh Farmer Families to Benefit**
According to the government, approximately 56 lakh eligible farmer 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 rules regarding eligibility were modified through a Government Resolution (GR) issued on July 15, 2026.

**List of 532 Representative Beneficiaries from 7 Districts Released**
With the launch of the scheme, the government has released a representative list of 532 eligible farmers from 7 districts for the first phase. This list has been issued to initiate the scheme's process. A comprehensive list of all eligible farmers will be released subsequently in the prescribed manner.

**Data from 53 Banks Uploaded to the Portal**
To implement this scheme, 53 banks have uploaded details of farmers' loan accounts onto a portal developed by MahaIT. These include 30 District Central Cooperative Banks (DCCBs) and 12 public and private sector banks. An audit of all loan accounts held by district cooperative banks has also been conducted to ensure the accurate identification of eligible farmers.

**Farmers to Receive SMS; Here’s How They Will Get the Money**
Eligible farmers will receive an SMS from the government on their registered mobile numbers. Following this, they 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).

**Aadhaar Authentication at 32,000 'Aaple Sarkar Seva Kendras'**
The government has made the Aadhaar authentication facility available at approximately 32,000 'Aaple Sarkar Seva Kendras' across the state. Farmers can complete their verification using their Aadhaar number or the unique ID provided by the government. However, prior registration on the AgriStack platform is mandatory for this process.

**Who Is Excluded from This 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; income tax payers (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 (APMCs).

**First Phase to Conclude by July 31**
The government aims to complete the process for eligible farmers associated with all District Central Cooperative Banks (DCCBs) in the state by July 31, 2026. Subsequently, the process of transferring loan waiver amounts to the accounts of eligible farmers associated with commercial banks will also commence.

The Maharashtra government is rapidly implementing this scheme to alleviate the financial burden on farmers and provide them with the opportunity to resume farming with renewed vigor.

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