Agricultural loan disbursal: Fadnavis asks banks to widen rural credit as accounts decline

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis asked banks on Thursday to treat farm loan disbursal as a priority. Devendra Fadnavis said credit must reach farmers, MSMEs and the rural economy. Devendra Fadnavis spoke at the 171st State Level Bankers Committee meeting at Sahyadri Guest House. Devendra Fadnavis also released the Annual Credit Plan for 2026-27.

Representative image

Devendra Fadnavis warned that rising credit volumes were masking a fall in borrower reach. "Credit is increasing, but the number of accounts is declining. This is a dangerous trend and the SLBC must formulate a focused strategy to address it, he said.\" Devendra Fadnavis urged banks to look beyond profit. Devendra Fadnavis said agriculture and rural development needed stronger support.

Agricultural loan accounts in Maharashtra fall, SLBC asked to act

Devendra Fadnavis said Maharashtra’s loan accounts dropped sharply across recent years. The count fell from 61.15 lakh in 2022-23 to 56 lakh in 2023-24. It then reduced to 54 lakh in 2024-25. It slipped further to 43 lakh in 2025-26. Devendra Fadnavis called the drop a serious concern.

\"A decline from 61 lakh to 43 lakh accounts is extremely serious. It is time to examine carefully what exactly is going wrong, he said.\" Devendra Fadnavis said the SLBC needed a sharper plan. Devendra Fadnavis also said the forum should not stay limited. Devendra Fadnavis said it must go beyond annual meetings and printed reports.

Crop loans: nationalised banks urged to improve performance in Maharashtra

Devendra Fadnavis said district central cooperative banks did better than nationalised banks in crop loans. Devendra Fadnavis said cooperative banks handled 61 per cent of loan accounts. Devendra Fadnavis added they delivered 85 per cent performance. Devendra Fadnavis said nationalised banks covered 26 per cent accounts. Devendra Fadnavis said their performance stood at 67 per cent.

\"This shows nationalised banks are not displaying the required seriousness towards crop loans and term loans. They should aim to achieve at least 80 to 85 per cent of their targets this year, the CM added.\" Devendra Fadnavis said banks should ensure funds reach the right sectors. Devendra Fadnavis highlighted farmers, MSMEs, and rural areas.

CIBIL score use for crop loans in Maharashtra flagged at SLBC

Devendra Fadnavis objected to crop loans being refused due to CIBIL scores. \"Complaints regarding CIBIL score conditions are received from every district during the crop loan season. The RBI has clearly stated that crop loans should not be linked to CIBIL score requirements. Bank headquarters must issue clear instructions to branches on this, he said.\" Devendra Fadnavis sought clearer branch-level compliance.

Reviewing district data, Devendra Fadnavis said only Sindhudurg and Dhule met 90 to 100 per cent targets. Devendra Fadnavis said Raigad, Pune, Satara, Kolhapur, Nashik, Jalgaon, Latur, Amravati, Chandrapur and Bhandara reached 73 to 90 per cent. Devendra Fadnavis said Palghar, Ratnagiri, Sangli, Nandurbar and Nanded needed special attention.

MSME credit in Maharashtra: focus on new accounts and Mudra Tarun loans

Devendra Fadnavis said MSME credit was rising, but new account creation was not matching it. Devendra Fadnavis pointed to the Tarun category under the Prime Minister Mudra Yojana. Devendra Fadnavis said about 7,500 beneficiaries in Maharashtra took loans up to Rs 15 lakh so far. Devendra Fadnavis asked banks to set separate targets.

\"This category has the potential to contribute significantly to the economy. Banks should set separate targets and ensure effective implementation, he said.\" Devendra Fadnavis said banks were part of national economic policy. \"Banks are not only institutions for profit-making. They are an important part of the countrys economic policy and must actively discharge their social responsibility, he said.\"

Women farmers and credit-deposit ratio in Maharashtra highlighted by Sunetra Pawar

Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar called for wider financial inclusion and rural entrepreneurship. Sunetra Pawar said Maharashtra’s credit-deposit ratio stood at 98.02 per cent. Sunetra Pawar urged focused action to raise it further in districts like Gadchiroli. Sunetra Pawar also sought dedicated financial policies for women farmers and easier loans for women’s groups.

Sunetra Pawar supported a separate crop loan scheme for women farmers. Sunetra Pawar also backed easier credit for women self-help groups and farmer producer organisations. Sunetra Pawar mentioned women entrepreneurs too. Sunetra Pawar said the United Nations named 2026 the International Year of Women Farmers. Sunetra Pawar added Maharashtra declared 2026 as the Women Agriculture Year.

Sunetra Pawar said women contributed across farming, dairy, livestock, vegetable cultivation and rural industries. Sunetra Pawar said access gaps still remained for independent credit and land ownership. Sunetra Pawar also cited hurdles with Kisan Credit Cards. Sunetra Pawar listed mechanisation, technology and market access as challenges. The meeting included Babasaheb Patil, Dattatray Bharne, Rajesh Agrawal and senior officials.

With inputs from PTI