The Chief Minister's Office of Maharashtra announced on Friday, 24 July 2026 that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis attended the grand 'Punyashlok Ahilyadevi Holkar Shetkari Karjmukti Yojana 2026 Bhavy Krutadnyata Shetkari Melava va Satkar Samarambh' at Pandharpur, where he also inaugurated the state-level agricultural festival 'Karmayogi Sudhakarpaant Paricharak Krushi Pandhari - 2026'.

Context

Speaking at the event, CM Fadnavis declared that the state government has taken what he called the largest farm-loan waiver decision in the country, set to benefit 56 lakh farmers across Maharashtra. In his words, 'शेतकऱ्याला दिलेला शब्द आम्ही मोडणार नाही' ('We will not break the promise made to the farmer'). He announced that a list of the first phase of 17 lakh farmers has already been declared, with funds to be credited to their accounts before 31 July 2026.

Fadnavis stressed that no eligible farmer would be left out of the scheme, underscoring the government's commitment to complete disbursement across all phases.

Policy Backdrop

Maharashtra has a long history of farm-loan relief programmes. A previous waiver package in 2017 covered approximately 34 lakh farmers, making the current scheme's stated reach of 56 lakh beneficiaries significantly larger in scale. Beyond loan relief, the Chief Minister also announced the waiver of outstanding agricultural electricity dues worth approximately ₹48,000 crore affecting lakhs of farmers.

Fadnavis further promised that the government would soon provide farmers with 12 hours of daytime electricity, framing assured power supply as central to reducing production costs and raising farm productivity. He described the government's broader agricultural goal as increasing investment in the sector to cut input costs, boost output, and improve farmer incomes.

Pandharpur Corridor and Warkari Welfare

At the event, CM Fadnavis also addressed the welfare of Warkaris — the devotional pilgrims who undertake the annual foot journey to Pandharpur for the Ashadhi and Kartiki festivals. He called the Pandharpur Wari 'महाराष्ट्राच्या संस्कृतीचा आत्मा' ('the soul of Maharashtra's culture') and said providing fitting facilities for this tradition is the state government's duty.

For the current Wari season, the government has arranged medical services, German hangars, charan seva (foot-care services), and other essential facilities for pilgrims. Fadnavis also announced that the Pandharpur Corridor would see a level of redevelopment unprecedented at any pilgrimage site in Maharashtra.

What's Next

The immediate milestone to watch is the credited disbursement to the first phase of 17 lakh farmers before 31 July 2026. The government is also expected to issue orders detailing the rollout of the 12-hour daytime power supply scheme for the agricultural sector. Senior ministers and legislators including Jaikumar Gore, Rajendra Raut, Samadhan Avtade, Vijay Deshmukh, and Gopichand Padalkar were present at the event, signalling broad ruling coalition backing for the announcements. The success of this scheme's disbursement timeline will likely set the political tone for the government's agricultural credibility ahead of the next Wari season.