'Played cruel joke on public': MVA slams state govt for not declaring drought in Marathawada

A day after the Eknath Shinde-led BJP-Shiv Sena-NCP government declared a whopping Rs 60,000 crore package for the Marathwada, the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi questioned as to why the alliance government  was not declaring drought in the affected places of the vast geographical region. 

Maharashtra Congress President Nana Patole lashed out at the dispensation and pointed out that people of the region are facing problems and there has been suicides.

“Marathwada is reeling under severe drought, and the cases of farmer suicides have increased in the region. In such circumstances, it was essential to declare a drought, but the state government, but by not declaring a drought the government has played a cruel joke on the public,” said Patole, a former Speaker. 

Referring to the dispensation as “EDA government”, Patole said that they spent crores of rupees in Chhatrapati SambhajiNagar for two days, had fun and then left. 

“While they have announced a package of crores for Marathwada, there is no clarity on when this will actually be implemented. The entire Marathwada is suffering a drought. The Kharif crops have failed. There is an increased demand for tankers for drinking water in Marathwada, there is no fodder for animals. In this situation the farmers need assistance from the government, but it seems the government is not interested in helping them,” said Patole. 

“Young individuals from Marathwada are migrating to cities like Mumbai and Pune in large numbers seeking employment, but the state government hasn't declared a concrete plan for their employment. It is the misfortune of the region that despite holding a cabinet meeting there, they haven't got anything from the government,” he said.

“While addressing the press conference, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that the MVA government hasn't done anything. At that time, Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar were sitting next to him, but neither of them refuted Fadnavis's statement. So, what were Shinde and Pawar doing in the MVA government," he asked.

"When questioned about ministers staying in a five-star hotel for a cabinet meeting and their extravagant spending, Chief Minister Shinde responded by asking why didn't the leaders of the I.N.D.I.A alliance stay in a Dharamshala? However, the expense of the I.N.D.I.A-Aghadi's meeting was not from the public's money. Doesn't CM Shinde understand the difference?,” said Patole. 

Leader of the Opposition in Assembly Vijay Wadettiwar said that Marathwada is reeling under severe drought, and the cases of farmer suicides have increased in the region. “Drought needs to be declared,” he said. 

Leader of the Opposition in Council Ambadas Danve said: “Old decisions have been repeated in the Cabinet meeting.”