Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on March 6 presented the Maharashtra Budget 2026–27 in the state legislative assembly, becoming the first chief minister in the state’s history to personally table the budget. During the presentation, he unveiled the Punyashlok Ahilyabai Holkar Shetkari Karjmafi Yojana aimed at supporting farmers facing financial stress. Under this initiative, eligible farmers with outstanding crop loans as of September 30, 2025, will receive a waiver of up to ₹2 lakh. The government stated that the measure is intended to provide relief to cultivators struggling with debt while strengthening the agricultural sector across the state.
Along with the loan waiver announcement, the state government also introduced incentives for farmers who regularly repay their loans. According to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, farmers who clear their dues on time will receive an incentive grant of ₹50,000. The government believes this dual approach will not only reduce the financial burden on distressed farmers but also encourage a culture of responsible borrowing and timely repayment. Officials said the policy has been designed to strike a balance between immediate relief and long-term financial discipline among agricultural borrowers throughout Maharashtra.
The loan waiver announcement comes at a time when demands for immediate financial support for farmers had intensified across Maharashtra following heavy rains and floods in several regions. The extreme weather events caused extensive crop damage, leading to significant economic losses for farmers. Responding to the situation, the state government included the relief measure in the budget to address the distress in the agricultural sector. Officials believe the scheme will help thousands of affected farmers recover from losses and stabilise their finances in the coming months.
The Chief Minister also announced several initiatives to support women working in agriculture. As 2026 has been declared the International Year of Women Farmers, the government plans to introduce special incentive programmes for women involved in dairy farming, poultry farming and goat rearing. These programmes aim to strengthen the economic independence of women in rural areas and promote greater participation in agricultural activities. The initiatives are expected to create additional livelihood opportunities for women farmers while improving productivity in allied agricultural sectors.
Another key focus of the budget is boosting energy self-reliance in both rural and urban areas. The state government plans to provide additional subsidies for installing rooftop solar systems on houses built under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana. According to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, this initiative will help households generate their own electricity while reducing dependence on conventional power sources. The move is also expected to promote clean energy adoption and reduce electricity expenses for beneficiaries living in newly constructed homes across the state.
Infrastructure development in rural areas was another major highlight of the budget. The Chief Minister announced that all villages with a population of more than 1,000 will be connected with durable concrete roads. The project is aimed at improving rural connectivity and ensuring better transport access for residents. Emphasising the state’s economic ambitions, Devendra Fadnavis said that Maharashtra serves as the financial engine of the country and will play a crucial role in achieving the goal of becoming a USD 5 trillion economy by 2047.
The government also revealed plans to expand sustainable agricultural practices through the Maharashtra Natural Farming Scheme. Under this programme, natural farming experiments will be carried out on five lakh hectares of land across the state. In addition, the Chief Minister announced the launch of the Chief Minister's Rural Livestock Scheme to support farmers involved in animal husbandry. He further stated that under the Mukhyamantri Gram Sadak Yojana, nearly 97 percent of the work in the first phase has already been completed, marking significant progress in rural road infrastructure development.