Mumbai, July 16: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has announced a complete waiver of pending electricity bill arrears for farmers, describing it as a historic decision aimed at providing significant financial relief to the agricultural community. The announcement was made while addressing a farmers’ felicitation programme organised by the BJP Kisan Morcha.
The Chief Minister said the government is committed to making Maharashtra drought-free through large-scale irrigation projects and improved water management. As part of this vision, the state will construct 24 new dams and expedite the Wainganga–Nalganga river-linking project to increase irrigation coverage and ensure sustainable water supply to drought-prone regions.
Fadnavis also said the government aims to provide 12 hours of free daytime electricity to all farmers by the end of this year. He noted that around 76 per cent of farmers are already receiving daytime power through the state’s solar pump and solar feeder schemes, with efforts underway to extend the benefit to the remaining farmers.
The Chief Minister added that the state has already provided financial assistance of ₹15,000 crore to farmers and will continue to strengthen agriculture by expanding irrigation infrastructure and implementing water conservation initiatives. He expressed confidence that these measures would improve farm productivity, reduce the financial burden on cultivators and contribute to the long-term development of Maharashtra’s agricultural sector.
