Taking a dig at the then Shiv Sena-BJP government in Maharashtra, Union Agriculture Minister and NCP chief Sharad Pawar today blamed them for the current electricity crisis in the state and alleged their flip flop on the Dabhol power project had affected foreign investments.
Launching the election campaign in Vidarbha region, Mr. Pawar addressed a public meeting at Hingana near here where the party has fielded Food and Civil Supplies Minister Ramesh Bang. Former union minister and local MP Vilas Muttemwar and East Nagpur sitting MLA Satish Chaturvedi were present on the occasion.
Mr. Pawar said that during his tenure as chief minister the Dabhol project was conceived and when Sena—BJP came to power they scrapped it. The electricity generation which was expected could not materialise and that was the beginning of the power crisis.
The flip flop by the Sena-BJP alliance on Dabhol plant not only affected the power scenario but also gave a setback to foreign investments as many potential investors felt Maharashtra not a safe state for investment, the way Dabhol was treated, Mr. Pawar alleged.
Lauding the efforts of the Congress-led government and the leadership of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Mr. Pawar said it has taken a historic decision of loan waiver to the tune of Rs 71,000 crore.
The rate of interest on crop loan which was 12 per cent during (Atal Bihari) Vajpayee government has been brought down to seven per cent and efforts are on to bring it further down to four per cent.
