Bad loans from farmers in Maharashtra have surged 16.3% year-on-year to Rs 35,477 crore as of June 2025, according to the State-Level Bankers Committee (SLBC), reports the New Indian Express.
The spike followed the ruling front’s pre-poll promise of a farm loan waiver, which remains unfulfilled even after a year in power. Farm NPAs now form 12.75% of the total agricultural loans worth Rs 2.78 trillion.
Public sector banks hold the largest share at Rs 20,303 crore, followed by cooperative banks at Rs 9,527 crore.
The number of stressed accounts jumped 60% to 24.7 lakh. Bankers attribute the default rise to farmers’ hopes of loan waivers and worsening financial distress in drought-prone regions like Vidarbha and Marathwada.
