Danve calls Fadnavis `miser' over CM Relief Fund aid for farmers, govt says wrong information

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Dec 11 (PTI) Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Ambadas Danve on Thursday called Devendra Fadnavis a "miser chief minister" over the aid given to farmers from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund, but the CMO said he was relying on the wrong information.

Citing a reply received under the Right to Information Act by activist Vaibhav Kokat, Danve said in a post on X that the Chief Minister's Relief Fund received Rs 106, 57,96,331 in October, but spent only Rs 75,000 for farmers who suffered heavy losses due to torrential rains during the same period. "Devendra Fadnavis has proved to be the miser chief minister of a generous state," said Danve, a former leader of opposition in the legislative council, and asked whether the government thought that the money received by the CM's Relief Fund was "election fund provided by its industrialist friends".

In its reply to the post, the CMO said the information was wrong, and "inquiry is underway as to why the wrong information was provided".

It also said that to furnish only the figures of one month was misleading.

A total aid of Rs 61.51 crore was disbursed during October, November and December from the CM's Relief Fund, it said.

Farmers are given aid through various departments other than this fund, and Rs 14,000 crore out of the special package of Rs 32,000 crore have been transferred to farmers' accounts so far, the CMO said. PTI AW KRK