The central government’s delay in fulfilling its purported commitment of relief fund of Rs 4500 crores to be distributed among the drought and hailstorm hit farmers in Maharashtra has put the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led state government in dock as the opposition as well as the allies have cornered the government over the issue.
Not only the Congress has announced state wide agitation over the issue, the BJP’s ally and partner in the state government, the Shiv Sena too has reiterated that the relief should immediately reach to the affected farmers.
“Though we are a part of the state government, we have not left the side of farmers. The farmers must get their due compensation at the earliest,” said Sena president Uddhav Thackeray on Friday.
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The state government sources said that the central government is expected to release fund worth Rs 2500 crore only, almost 50% less than the actual demand.
Two days ago, BJP’s another ally, Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghata (SSS) led by Lok Sabha MP Raju Shetty vandalised the sugar commissionerate in Pune, demanding fare price to sugarcane farmers. The SSS has led demonstrations in Western Maharashtra against its own government alleging it is failing to fulfil its promises to farmers.
The Congress too has organised state wide agitations from January 21 against the government policies of delaying compensation package to affected farmers.
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“BJP is running both the governments, but it seems they are not willing to provide necessary aid to farmers. The central government is deliberately delaying the compensation package,” said Manikrao Thakre, President, Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC).