Bhopal, December 17: In his first major decision after taking charge, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath on Monday signed on files approving a loan-waiver of upto Rs 2 lakh for farmers across the state. The decision came barely a couple of hours after Nath took oath as the CM.

The farm-loan waivers were the Congress' strongest poll plank moving into the assembly elections held in Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. Congress president Rahul Gandhi has vowed to replace the Chief Ministers if the loans are not waived within 10 days. Loan Waiver Will Be Announced in First Cabinet Meet: Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel.

After the party's emphatic victory in the Hindi heartland, the Gandhi scion reiterated his promise to relieve the distressed agrarian class. "Definitely, we would be waiving off the farm loans," the Congress chief said on December 12 -- a day after routing the BJP in the three states.

Nath, who is a proponent of free marketism, said farmers would be the priority of his government. "Waiving of farm loans and providing adequate returns on their produce will be the utmost priority," he had said.

Apart from Madhya Pradesh, the newly appointed CMs of Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh -- Ashok Gehlot and Bhupesh Baghel, respectively -- have also reiterated to waive off the farm loans upto Rs 2 lakh. "That would certainly be the first decision after taking charge," Baghel had said on Sunday.

The loan-waivers also come in the backdrop of a massive march organised by 28 agrarian unions in the national capital, demanding the Centre to enact a law guaranteeing them 150 per cent above their input cost on crops, pension for farmers above 60 years of age, along with a one-time farm loan-waiver. The central government offered a muted response.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 17, 2018 05:15 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).