Executive Summary:
This document presents the Indian government's response to questions regarding outstanding agricultural loans. It provides state-wise data on outstanding loans as of March 31, 2025, based on information from NABARD. It clarifies the government's position on loan waivers and outlines existing measures to support farmers' economic conditions. The document references data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) regarding farmer suicides.
Key Points / Main Content:
* **Outstanding Agricultural Loans:**
* State/UT-wise data on total outstanding agricultural loans as of March 31, 2025, is provided in Annexure I.
* Maharashtra's outstanding agricultural loans amount to ₹2,60,799.90 crore.
* Rajasthan's outstanding agricultural loans amount to ₹1,87,322.27 crore.
* **Indebtedness and Landholding:**
* NABARD's 2021-2022 NAFIS survey indicates a generally positive correlation between landholding size and household indebtedness up to 1 hectare.
* **Farmer Suicides:**
* The NCRB compiles and disseminates information on suicides, but separate reasons for farmer suicides are not provided in their ADSI reports. The report until 2022 is available on the NCRB website.
* **Loan Waivers:**
* The Union Government is not considering any proposal to waive outstanding agricultural loans.
* **Government Measures:**
* The government provides relief and improves farmers' economic conditions through measures such as:
* Timely and adequate credit via Kisan Credit Card (KCC), offering crop loans up to ₹3 lakh at subsidized interest rates under the Modified Interest Subvention Scheme (MISS) with incentives for timely repayment.
* Fixing progressively increased agricultural credit targets.
* Issuing revised Priority Sector Lending guidelines to enhance credit flow to the agricultural sector.
Impact Analysis:
**Farmers:**
* Impact: Provides information about the total outstanding agricultural loans across the country. Highlights the government's current stance on loan waivers and alternative support measures.
* Action Required: To be aware of available credit schemes like KCC and MISS, and to understand the terms and conditions for availing these benefits.
**NABARD (National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development):**
* Impact: NABARD's data on outstanding agricultural loans is used in the government's response.
* Action Required: To continue providing accurate and up-to-date data on agricultural loans.
**Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare:**
* Impact: Data regarding farmer suicides is sourced from the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, which relies on NCRB data.
* Action Required: To potentially collaborate with NCRB to provide more specific data on the reasons for farmer suicides in future reports.
**Ministry of Finance:**
* Impact: The Ministry is responsible for formulating and overseeing policies related to agricultural credit and addressing issues related to outstanding loans.
* Action Required: To continue monitoring the effectiveness of existing support measures and explore additional structural reforms to reduce dependency on loan waivers.
**National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB):**
* Impact: The NCRB collects and disseminates data on suicides, including farmer suicides, but does not provide specific reasons.
* Action Required: Consider including specific reasons for suicides in the ADSI reports to enable better policy decisions in the future.
Key Entities Referenced
Maharashtra: State in India with significant outstanding agricultural loans and mentioned in the context of farmer suicides.
Rajasthan: State in India with significant outstanding agricultural loans.
NABARD: National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development, an organization that provides information on agricultural loans and financial inclusion.
Kisan Credit Card KCC: A scheme under which crop loan is provided at subsidized interest rates.
Modified Interest Subvention Scheme MISS: Scheme that provides subsidized interest rates on crop loans with additional incentives for timely repayment.
National Crime Records Bureau NCRB: An agency under the Ministry of Home Affairs that compiles and disseminates information on suicides, including farmer suicides.
Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare: A department that reports data to National Crime Records Bureau NCRB regarding farmer suicides.
Andhra Pradesh: State in India with significant outstanding agricultural loans.
Government of India
Ministry of Finance
Department of Financial Services
LOK SABHA
Unstarred Question No. 12
ANSWERED ON MONDAY, 21 JULY 2025/ ASHADHA 30, 1947 (SAKA)
Waiver off Outstanding Agricultural Loans
12. Shri Bhaskar Murlidhar Bhagare:
Shri Nilesh Dnyandev Lanke:
Shri Sanjay Dina Patil:
Prof. Varsha Eknath Gaikwad:
Shri Mohite Patil Dhairyasheel Rajsinh:
Dr. Amol Ramsing Kolhe:
Smt. Supriya Sule:
Shri Bajrang Manohar Sonwane:
Shri Hanuman Beniwal:
Will the Minister of FINANCE be pleased to state:
(a) the total outstanding agricultural loans of farmers across the country, State-wise,
particularly in Maharashtra and Rajasthan;
(b) whether any specific categories of farmers marginal, small, tenant, SC/ST are more
burdened with outstanding loans and if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether there is any correlation found between outstanding agricultural loans and incidence
of farmer suicides in States like Maharashtra and if so, the data available with the Government
on such cases during the last five years;
(d) whether the Government proposes to formulate any nationwide scheme for waiver of all
outstanding agricultural loans to strengthen the economic condition of farmers and if so, the
details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor; and
(e) whether the Government has planned any structural reforms in agricultural credit policy to
reduce dependency on loan waivers and if so, the details thereof?
Answer
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE
(SHRI PANKAJ CHAUDHARY)
(a) As informed by NABARD, the amount of total outstanding agricultural loans, State/UT
wise is given at Annexure I.(b) NABARD All India Rural Financial Inclusion Survey (NAFIS) for the period of 2021-2022
indicates a generally positive relationship between landholding size and household
indebtedness, with the proportion of indebted households increasing as land size increases, up
to 1 hectare. Beyond this threshold, a marginal decline in the incidence of indebtedness is
observed among households with larger landholdings.
(c) As reported by Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, the National Crime
Records Bureau (NCRB) under the Ministry of Home Affairs compiles and disseminates
information on suicides in its publication titled ‘Accidental Deaths and Suicides in India’
(ADSI). The report till 2022 is available on NCRB website (https://ncrb.gov.in). In the ADSI
reports, separate reasons for farmer suicide have not been given.
(d) to (e) No proposal to waive off the outstanding agricultural loans, is under consideration
with Union Government. However, Union Government has taken several measures to provide
reliefs and to improve the economic conditions of the farmers which inter-alia includes timely
and adequate credit through Kisan Credit Card (KCC) under which crop loan up to ₹3 lakh is
provided at subsidized interest rates under the Modified Interest Subvention Scheme (MISS)
with additional incentives for timely repayment, fixation of progressively increased
agricultural credit target, issuance of revised Priority Sector Lending guidelines to ensure
improved credit flow to the agricultural sector etc.
******Annexure I
Statement referred to in part (a) of Lok Sabha Un-Starred Question No. 12 on “Waiver
off Outstanding Agricultural Loans” due for answer on 21.07.2025
Total Loan Outstanding as on 31.03.2025
S.No. State/UT
No. of A/cs (in lakhs) Amt. ( in ₹ crore)
1 Andaman And Nicobar Island 0.14 278.88
2 Andhra Pradesh 142.60 3,08,716.83
3 Arunachal Pradesh 0.34 491.44
4 Assam 16.84 20,803.77
5 Bihar 121.18 95,578.07
6 Chandigarh UT 0.10 2,536.30
7 Chhattisgarh 21.21 29,290.78
8 Dadar And Nagar Haveli UT 0.04 171.33
9 Daman And Diu UT 0.03 108.43
10 Delhi 2.87 26,749.61
11 Goa 0.84 2,016.40
12 Gujarat 55.76 1,44,330.45
13 Haryana 38.52 99,026.93
14 Himachal Pradesh 7.03 14,293.23
15 Jammu And Kashmir 11.14 11,716.59
16 Jharkhand 31.31 20,421.63
17 Karnataka 144.20 2,22,301.82
18 Kerala 88.10 1,52,198.71
19 Ladakh 0.29 349.78
20 Lakshadweep UT 0.04 33.61
21 Madhya Pradesh 93.75 1,62,385.12
22 Maharashtra 144.60 2,60,799.90
23 Manipur 0.72 1,255.76
24 Meghalaya 1.39 1,053.75
25 Mizoram 0.72 1,439.38
26 Nagaland 0.65 750.32
27 Odisha 95.06 79,329.98
28 Puducherry 4.27 18,535.99
29 Punjab 37.62 1,04,353.28
30 Rajasthan 106.36 1,87,322.27
31 Sikkim 0.26 385.19
32 Tamil Nadu 252.45 4,03,367.45
33 Telangana 74.69 1,44,346.41
34 Tripura 4.44 4,267.09
35 Uttar Pradesh 179.17 2,28,560.29
36 Uttarakhand 8.95 15,178.97
37 West Bengal 75.27 86,033.70
Grand Total 1762.96 28,50,779.43