Maharashtra government has money for publicity, not farmers

Ajit Pawar hits out at State for failing on all counts to provide relief to farmers

Pune:The Devendra Fadnavis-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government has crores to spend on publicity stunts and propaganda campaigns, but no money for farmers, said Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader and former Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Friday.

Attacking the State government’s ‘ Mi Labharthi (I am a beneficiary)’media blitz as part of the Congress and NCP’s ‘Halla Bol’ yatra in Latur district in the arid Marathwada region, Mr. Pawar said, “No one has benefited from any of this [BJP] government’s promises. The much-touted farm loan waiver has come a cropper. Farmers are devoid of even basic amenities like round-the-clock electricity as opposed to states like Telangana which provide 24 hours electricity to their farmers.”

Power bills

The NCP leader further alleged that the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Corporation Ltd. (MSEDCL) was forcefully recovering money from the farmers, which in turn was driving them towards suicide.

Mr. Pawar visited Shahaji Rathod, a farmer from Ujani village in Latur’s Ausa Taluka at a local hospital and announced ₹1 lakh for his treatment.

Mr. Rathod had recently attempting suicide in front of the local MSEDC office by consuming a poisonous substance as he was allegedly unable to pay his electricity bill. “The Rathod family runs a humble flour mill to make ends meet… Shahaji’s case is an example of the BJP government’s apathy towards the State’s farmers. What happened to the government’s ‘solar krishi pump’ scheme, which was scuppered after the distribution of a mere 2,200 pumps,” asked Mr. Pawar.