Govt presented 'inflated' relief package for flood-hit farmers with local polls in mind: Rohit Pawar

Mumbai, Oct 9 (PTI) NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar on Thursday criticised the Maharashtra government for misleading farmers in the name of rain and flood relief by presenting "inflated" figures of the aid in view of the upcoming local bodies elections.

Speaking to reporters here, he also said the government must not think of avoiding a discussion on the issue of farmers' distress by curtailing the duration of the winter session of the state legislature to be held in December.

Heavy rainfall and floods in September severely affected Marathwada and adjoining regions, destroying crops on 68.69 lakh hectares across the state.

The Maharashtra government on Tuesday announced a compensation package of Rs 31,628 crore for farmers who suffered massive losses due to rains and floods. It includes compensation for crop losses, life and property, soil erosion, direct financial support to farmers, concessions generally extended in drought-like conditions, hospitalisation expenses, ex-gratia, damage to houses, shops, and cattle sheds.

Pawar alleged that the state's announcement of aid to rain-affected farmers was "vague and deceptive" and will "remain on paper".

The NCP (SP) general secretary reiterated his demand for declaration of a "wet drought" in the affected regions and urged the government to provide meaningful assistance.

"Farm labourers should be given Rs 26,000 per family for the next six months to survive. The government has failed to fulfil its promise of farm loan waiver and is now cheating farmers under the guise of relief," Pawar alleged.

While the Centre will provide Rs 6,175 crore through the NDRF, the state should add Rs 6,500 crore by giving Rs 10,000 per hectare for the losses of crops spread across 65 lakh hectares, making the total around Rs 13,000 crore.

An aid of Rs 1.5 lakh should be given to farmers for each damaged well as Rs 20,000-Rs 30,000 are not sufficient, he said.

But farmers will not receive fair compensation. The government's promises are only on paper, the legislator from Karjat-Jamkhed assembly constituency in Ahilyanagar said.

"When Devendra Fadnavis was the Leader of Opposition, he demanded that the state legislature session be held for three weeks. Now that farmers are in trouble, why should this government restrict it to just 10 days?" he asked.

"The government is afraid of facing a discussion on this issue. They have inflated figures only to mislead people ahead of (local bodies) elections," he said.

Pawar also criticised the diversion of funds from the state social justice department to the 'Ladki Bahin' scheme, under which eligible women are given a financial assistance of Rs 1,500 per month.

"This is an injustice to the Scheduled Caste (SC) community, which depends on the aid received by the department for education and health support. The government is playing with numbers for electoral gains," he added. PTI MR NP