MUMBAI: With 85% of Maharashtra facing a crippling drought, farmers have begun going to exploitative private and illegal moneylenders to make ends meet. With rising complaints against the latter, the Marathwada administration has now begun taking stringent action against them.
The collector said the government was determined to ensure that such exploitation did not continue. “Enforcement requires coordinated action by the revenue, police and cooperative departments, as an assistant registrar acting alone may face pressure or intimidation,” he said. “The district administration has held around 10 review meetings to push the investigation forward.”
There was no written agreement, and the transaction was done amicably in the presence of villagers. The lender later prepared a sale deed for the land by forging documents. “It was in the possession of the moneylender who grew cash crops like sugarcane and soyabean on it. We were given the land papers back two days ago and expect the actual possession to come by the weekend. Pawan added that his family was threatened by the lender on various occasions, and still felt unsafe.
In the first instance, Mandubai Davare, 83, from Kalkoti village had borrowed ₹ 28,000 against her 1.8-hectare plot for her daughter’s wedding in 1995. When Davare went five years to repay the lender ₹ 5 lakh including interest, he demanded ₹ 10 lakh. the case remained pending for over 25 years While the family complained to the district deputy registrar.
“The land costs around ₹ 1 crore at the current market rate,” said Davare’s grandson Pawan.
