Mahayuti govt functioning in 'heartless' way, says Uddhav, seeks prompt aid for flood-hit farmers

Mumbai, Oct 1 (PTI) Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday said Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis should not engage in wordplay over the term "wet drought" and instead give a blanket assistance of Rs 50,000 per hectare to flood-hit farmers and waive their loans.

Hitting back, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said Thackeray should introspect about the work done by him when he was the CM and assured the BJP-led Mahayuti government will give a "big relief" to the affected farmers.

Talking to reporters here, Thackeray read out a letter from the time when he was the chief minister (November 2019-June 2022) and Fadnavis was the Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the assembly and BJP MLA.

Thackeray pointed out that in the letter, Fadnavis had himself demanded that a "wet drought" be declared in Maharashtra after rains had hit different parts of the state.

"Fadnavis should not indulge in wordplay. If the word 'wet drought' existed when he was the LoP, then how come it has vanished (from official manual) after he became the chief minister?" the former CM asked.

Rains and floods have damaged 60 lakh hectares of land in Maharashtra, as per the initial estimate, and the government has decided to extend all benefits and measures usually provided during drought to the affected people, Fadnavis said on Tuesday.

The CM, however, didn't declare a "wet drought" as demanded by the Opposition, saying no such provision exists in the official manual.

A "wet drought" is a meteorological phenomenon wherein an area receives abundant rainfall, but the availability of water remains low, causing agricultural loss.

Thackeray further said rain and flood-affected farmers were yet to get help and the state government was functioning in a "heartless" way.

A central government delegation was yet to visit the flood-hit areas for inspection of crop losses, the Opposition MLC maintained.

"The government should not wait for 'panchanmas' (damage assessment). We demand that farmers must get Rs 50,000 per hectare besides a complete loan waiver," the former chief minister added.

He sought 'pucca' (concrete) houses under the PM Awas Yojana for those who residences have been damaged by floods. Temporary shelter homes, too, should be built to accommodate them till they get new houses.

Thackeray slammed the state government's decision to impose a levy (on sugar mills) of Rs 10 per tonne (of sugarcane), which will go to the Chief Minister's Relief Fund (CMRF), and Rs 5 per tonne for assistance to flood-affected farmers. The decision, he argued, will end up adversely affecting farmers.

The Shiv Sena (UBT) leader claimed some sugar barons have switched over to the BJP, which heads the ruling Mahayuti coalition, and secured government assurance on the loans taken by their factories.

The government should give similar assurance to farmers on the loans taken by them, he demanded.

Shinde, a bitter critic of Thackeray, said when the latter was the CM, he had promised that farmers who repaid their loans regularly would get a grant of Rs 50,000, but did not follow up on the assurance.

Shinde, who was CM from June 2022 to November 2024, noted his government waived loans of 20 lakh farmers.

In the last two-three years, farmers have got Rs 30,000 crore to 40,000 crore through different schemes, he maintained.

He said farmers are aware of the kind of work Thackeray did when he was the CM. PTI PR RSY