Sharad Pawar Criticises Maharashtra Government For Delay In Flood Aid
“The delay by the state government is the reason behind its failure to get the aid from the Centre": NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar
MUMBAI: NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar on Sunday slammed the Maharashtra Government accusing it of delaying submission of the final proposal to the Centre to provide aid to flood-hit people in the state. There is widespread discontent among people due to delay in getting government aid, he said in Pune.
“The delay by the state government is the reason behind its failure to get the aid from the Centre. When I enquired at the Centre, I was told that the Maharashtra government has not yet presented a ‘final proposal’ for the losses. The state government should immediately send a proposal to the Centre without any delay and get funds for farmers,” the veteran leader said.
According to Pawar, heavy rains in Vidarbha, Marathwada and western Maharashtra in September have caused immense losses to farmers and crops on 70 lakh acres of area have been damaged in the state. Land has been eroded, houses have collapsed and livestock has also suffered heavy losses due to heavy rains.
The former union minister also slammed the Maharashtra government for imposing a levy on sugarcane mills, alleging it forces cultivators to contribute to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund instead of the state providing aid to rain-hit farmers directly.
“I am surprised that the Maharashtra government decided to charge an extra levy from sugarcane cultivators to provide financial assistance to Marathwada farmers hit by floods. I request the government to reconsider its decision,” Pawar said.
His remarks came after the government decided to impose a levy on sugarcane in mills to provide relief to affected farmers through the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund (CMRF).
“It is extremely wrong to forcefully recover money from farmers. Instead of the state providing aid to rain-hit farmers directly, it forces cultivators to contribute to the CMRF. This decision has angered farmers,” Pawar said.
Commenting on this, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis defended the move stating that the levy would be drawn from the mills’ profits and would not impact farmers’ earnings.
“There are around 200 mills in Maharashtra. One mill may have to contribute about Rs 25 lakh to the CMRF. We are seeking funds from the profits of sugar mills, not from farmers,” Fadnavis said at an event in Ahilyanagar attended by Union home minister Amit Shah.
