Mumbai, Sep 15 (TOI): The NCP plans to launch a agitation across Maharashtra from October 1 to protest against the BJP government's failure to implement the loan waiver scheme for 90 lakh farmers.

Maharashtra NCP chief Sunil Tatkare said that while Fadnavis declared the loan waiver scheme in June, no steps have been taken to provide relief to debt-ridden cultivators. "Maharashtra has witnessed a sudden spurt in farmers' suicide owing to agrarian crisis. Despite such a situation, Fadnavis appears to be casual on their plight,'' Tatkare said. He slammed state revenue minister Chandrakant Patil's claim that there were 10 lakh bogus farmers in the state. Tatkare said both Fadnavis and Patil were making attempts to delay the loan waiver scheme. "Online submission of forms for the loan waiver is one of the tactics to delay the scheme. Our contention is that instead of waiting for all the farmers to submit their forms online, loan of all those farmers, who have completed the formalities should be waived,'' Tatkare said.

Meanwhile, BJP MP from Bhandara-Gondia Nana Patole also criticized Chandrakant Patil. "Patil's statement that there are 10 lakh bogus farmers, reflects his lack of seriousness,'' Patole said. Patole, who is at loggerheads with Fadnavis, met him in Mantralaya on Wednesday to press for farmers' demands. He too criticized the online system for submission of loan waiver forms.