Nagpur : Former Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Tuesday demanded immediate financial assistance of Rs 50,000 per hectare to the distressed farmers facing nature’s wrath while accusing present government with abysmal failure over all fronts.
He asked Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to make use of experience and expertise of opposition party leaders to handle drought situation in State.
Pawar was at a Meet the Press programme organised by Nagpur Union of Working Journalist and Press Club. He said, “Due to insufficient rainfall in Maharashtra, situation is very grim and present government has failed to handle it in proper manner. Instead of declaring drought in the state, the government is waiting for Central Government’s team to study the situation. The situation is very difficult in 8 districts of Marathwada region.”
Quoting Ground Water Survey and Development Agency (GSDA), Pawar claimed, Jalyukta Shivar did not make any difference in Marathwada region. The government should direct industries to use their corporate social responsibility (CSR) fund for financing water supply schemes in rural areas. All the wells and borewell should be acquired to provide water in critical situation. The Chief Minister should visit fields to review the grim situation, he added.
Wondering the delay in declaring drought, Ajit Pawar pointed out that, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had assured in a recent meeting at Shirdi to provide all financial assistance to Maharashtra to handle drought in the state while Chief Minister claimed that it could be done only after Central team’s visit.
Suspecting that Central Government and coal utilities under it had diverted coal meant for Maharashtra to poll bound states presently ruled by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to ensure uninterrupted power supply, Pawar lashed out at State Government. Ajit Pawar claimed that under DF regime, the state was free from load shedding, but now long power cuts were back.
When asked about investigation of irrigation scam and his alleged role in the scam, Pawar said that he had fully cooperated with the investigating agency and given his statements orally and in writing as well. When journalists persistently asked whether the investigation was a farce, Pawar refused to comment further stating that matter was sub judice.
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