Farmers in Maharashtra intensified their agitation this week, bringing traffic on th Nagpur–Hyderabad National Highway (NH-44) to a standstill for nearly seven hours as they demanded immediate farm loan waivers and drought compensation. The protest, held near the Jamtha flyover in Nagpur a critical junction connecting the Samruddhi Expressway drew thousands of participants from across the Vidarbha region, highlighting deep rural distress amid erratic monsoons and rising input costs.
The demonstration marks the second consecutive day of farmers’ protests in the region, with organisers warning of an expanded agitation, including a potential rail blockade, if their demands remain unaddressed. The protestors asserted that the government’s previous assurances of crop bonuses and debt relief, made during election campaigns, have not translated into tangible support.
According to protest organisers, many cultivators are facing severe financial hardship after recurring crop failures triggered by drought and hailstorms. Despite several relief announcements, farmers claim that government aid has been delayed and inadequate. Rural development experts point out that while the state has disbursed instalments under schemes such as the “Namo Shetkari Mahasanman Yojana,” the cash assistance of ₹10,000 per affected farmer barely offsets the rising cost of seeds, fertilisers, and irrigation.
A senior farmer leader at the protest said that the issue is not only economic but deeply social, as many debt-ridden farmers are reportedly taking extreme steps due to unmanageable liabilities. The demand for a complete loan waiver, he said, stems from the urgent need to prevent further distress and restore confidence among the agrarian community.The protest site at Jamtha holds symbolic and political significance it lies within the home constituency of the state’s deputy chief minister, underlining the growing pressure on the government to deliver on pre-election promises. Policy experts warn that unless the agrarian crisis is handled with empathy and urgency, the rural economy could face a severe productivity slump, affecting food security and state revenues.
Officials from the agriculture department maintained that financial aid is being disbursed systematically across districts, covering more than 68 lakh hectares of damaged farmland under the state’s relief programme. However, farmer groups argue that these measures lack inclusivity and fail to address long-term sustainability.As Maharashtra’s agricultural belt battles climate shocks and mounting debt, the Nagpur protest serves as a sharp reminder of the fragile state of rural livelihoods and the urgent need for resilient, farmer-centric reforms.
Nagpur Farmers Block NH44 For 7 Hours Demanding Loan Waiver
