Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay has announced a full waiver of cooperative farm loans of up to Rs 75,000, providing fresh financial relief to farmers across the state. The Chief Minister said the government would extend an additional Rs 953.06 crore in support despite the financial constraints facing the state.

The announcement strengthens the Vijay government's farmer-focused agenda and comes after earlier revisions to the crop loan waiver programme. The government had previously increased the full waiver ceiling from Rs 50,000 to Rs 75,000 following demands from farmers' organisations and political parties for wider relief.

Under the revised relief framework, eligible farmers who obtained crop loans through cooperative banks can receive a complete waiver for loans of up to Rs 75,000.

The government had earlier announced a lower ceiling of Rs 50,000 for sections of the farming community. Following representations from farmers and a review of the scheme, the limit was increased to Rs 75,000 and the benefits were widened beyond only small and marginal cultivators.

The decision is expected to reduce the debt burden on farmers dependent on cooperative credit and improve their ability to seek fresh institutional loans for agricultural operations.

The broader crop loan waiver package covers loans taken through cooperative banks between May 1, 2025 and February 28, 2026. Farmers with eligible crop loans of up to Rs 75,000 are entitled to full relief under the revised programme.

Earlier government details indicated that around 14.43 lakh farmers were expected to benefit from the expanded waiver framework. Those figures included marginal, small and other farmers, demonstrating the wider reach of the revised policy.

For crop loans exceeding Rs 75,000, the previously announced revised package provided a fixed waiver of Rs 35,000, according to reports on the scheme.

Announcing the latest measure, Vijay said his government was providing an additional Rs 953.06 crore in support to farmers despite financial constraints.

The Chief Minister's emphasis on additional funding signals that agricultural debt relief remains a priority for his administration. The government has presented the waiver as a measure intended not only to reduce existing debt but also to help farmers regain access to cooperative credit for future cultivation.

The announcement also comes as Vijay marks the first 100 days of his government, during which farmer welfare, social assistance and investment have been highlighted among the administration's major priorities.

Crop loans are an important source of seasonal finance for farmers, covering expenses such as seeds, fertilisers, labour and other cultivation costs. Heavy outstanding debt can make it difficult for borrowers to qualify for fresh credit before the next agricultural season.

By providing full relief up to Rs 75,000, the Tamil Nadu government is seeking to reduce that burden and allow eligible farmers to return to institutional lending channels.

The waiver is also politically significant because farm debt relief was among Vijay's major commitments after taking office. The latest announcement reinforces the government's attempt to position agricultural welfare as a central part of its economic and rural policy while balancing the additional expenditure against Tamil Nadu's wider financial commitments.