Mumbai, Sep 23 On the day Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis visited areas affected by drought-like conditions, the Congress sought the ruling BJP’s response on its poll promise to make farmers debt-free.
Fadnavis described the drought-like situation in Latur and Dharashiv in Marathwada region as “extremely serious”, saying the two districts received only half the normal rainfall this year, and promised all possible assistance to the affected farmers.
He visited Nilanga tehsil in Latur, parts of Dharashiv district, and also inspected soybean crops in Barshi area of Solapur district.
“The BJP-led government is still studying the drought situation even as farmers are facing difficulties,” state Congress spokesperson Atul Londhe told reporters.
Londhe said the “drought” is being described as the worst since 1972 and questioned what concrete measures the government has taken to tackle the situation.
“After the 1972 drought, the Congress government introduced the employment guarantee scheme, which later evolved into the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). However, the Centre is trying to weaken the scheme,” he alleged.
The Congress spokesperson also questioned the efficacy of earlier relief measures for farmers, including loan waivers, and asked the state government to state how much assistance had actually reached deserving beneficiaries.
Londhe asked the state government to spell out its plans to tackle “drought” and provide long-term relief to farmers.
(PTI News)
