In a bid to resolve the issue of the farmers, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis met a delegation of farmers on Thursday who are marching from Nashik to Mumbai with a 17-point charter of demands.
The farmers, who have started from Dindori in Nashik district, have now reached Vasind in Shahpur tehsil in Thane district adjacent to the financial capital of Mumbai. The farmers' demands include an immediate financial relief of Rs 600 per quintal to onion growers, uninterrupted electricity supply for 12 hours and a waiver of agriculture loans.
The meeting was held at the Vidhan Bhavan Complex at Nariman Point here during which top ministers and secretaries were present.
Shinde is expected to make a statement in the Maharashtra legislature on Friday.
“We had very fruitful negotiations on all issues and most have been resolved…I will be making a statement on Friday,” Shinde said emerging from the meeting.
CPI(M) MLA Vinod Nikole was among those who represented the farmers.
“Majority of the issues most pertaining to the jurisdiction of the state have been or are being sorted out while those in the Centre’s ambit have yet to be resolved,” he said.
However, he said that the agitation is not called off and they would camp in Vasind till the government issues the relevant orders right up to the district level to implement the demands. “Once that is done, we will disperse and return,” he said.
Published 17 March 2023, 01:12 IST