![\"Maharashtra](\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/thumb\/msid-132563695,imgsize-83879,width-400,height-225,resizemode-75\/farmer-suicidejpg.jpg\" "\\"Cooperation")
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nMumbai: <\/span>The state government announced its first list of 553 beneficiaries from the total of 56 lakh farmers earmarked for the Punyashlok Ahilyadevi Holkar Shetkari Karjmukti Yojana loan waiver scheme to coincide with the 67th birth anniversary of late deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar<\/a> on Wednesday.Cooperation minister Balasaheb Patil stated that after the scheme was expanded during the recent state assembly session, the total amount for the loan waiver has gone up from Rs 36,585 crore to Rs 40,980 crore.\u201cThe implementation of the scheme has begun. We will announce the list in phases after receiving details from the income-tax department since farmers who can pay tax are excluded from the scheme,\u201d said Patil. The beneficiaries are from seven districts including Thane (182), Amravati (58), Latur (133), Nagpur (16) and Pune (85).The total beneficiaries earmarked for the scheme are 56 lakh. The original budget for the scheme was Rs 36, 585 crore. However, during the recent session of the state assembly, the government increased the loan limit for beneficiaries of the 2019 waiver who qualified to the current waiver, from Rs 50,000 to Rs 2 lakh. As a result, the budget for the scheme rose by Rs 4,395 crore. Hence, the total amount for the loan waiver has gone up from Rs 36,585 crores to Rs 40,980 crores, Patil said.Each beneficiary will be given a unique number and will have to authenticate their Aadhaar number based on that number. The facility has been made available through about 32,00 Aaple Sarkar Seva Kendras in the state. However , before that, the farmers will have to register on Agristack. After the Aadhaar authentication is completed, the benefit amount will be directly deposited in the loan account of the eligible beneficiaries through DBT.The state had declared the loan waiver on June 2, and it was among the key promises on Mahayuti\u2019s manifesto before the 2024 assembly polls. It covers short term crop loans taken between April 1, 2019, and March 31, 2025. It has three components: a debt waiver, one-time settlement and incentive benefits for those who regularly service their loans.In the recent monsoon session of the state assembly, the state cabinet had expanded the scope of the scheme. It raised the cap of Rs 50,000 for farmers who had benefited from the 2019 loan waiver to Rs 2 lakh. It also decided to permit incentive payments for farmers even if they had not repaid loans regularly in 2026-27, if they had made regular payments in two out of three previous years.<\/div>\n