New Delhi:
At least 11 ministers from the Maharashtra state cabinet were in the national capital to call on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, to ask for Rs 2700 crore as financial relief from the Centre to tackle the major scarcity and drought-like situation in the state.
They were joined by a few Union Ministers from Maharashtra in the 10 minute long meeting with the PM in Parliament. Yet, at the end, it appears the delegation returned empty-handed.
In fact, even before the Maharashtra Chief Minister met the Prime Minister, state Congress leaders called on Sonia Gandhi to apprise her of the situation of the 15 districts badly affected.
Even Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi, who recently visited some affected districts in Maharashtra, called on PM Singh on the eve of the delegation meeting.
The Maharashtra government says that though it hasn't received any immediate disbursal of funds from the Centre, it doesn't mean there is any delay in tackling the drought-like situation in the state. CM Prithviraj Chavan sought to clarify that money is being diverted from other welfare projects to ensure that immediate relief measures do not suffer due to lack of funds, including water tankers, cattle sheds, cattle fodder etc. He added that the state government hoped to get the reimbursement of these funds from the Centre.
But the Opposition is not convinced. Shiv Sena Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha, Sanjay Raut said, "If it was Mamata Banerjee, she would have been able to get Rs 2000 crore in two minutes. Here, the state hasn't managed to get even Rs 10 in 10 minutes. The drought situation is very serious and needs immediate and urgent help and action."
The Centre, perhaps, is being more cautious as there have been similar pleas for drought-related relief from both Congress-ruled Andhra Pradesh and BJP-ruled Karnataka in the last few months, and doesn't want to be seen as favouring one state over another.
In fact, when asked why Maharashtra seems to lose out with the Centre when it came to relief, CM Prithviraj Chavan shot back, "This is not a race or a competition that we have to compare this with CMs from other states. There is a process for this. We are grateful to the Centre that it sent a team immediately to these affected districts. The team will now submit its report."
He added, "Vidarbha has only nine percent land under irrigation. Our priority is to make sure that percentage is increased significantly. Last year, the state got Rs 700 crore less from the Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Program or AIBP. Immediate relief is already underway but we want a long term solution including irrigation."
The state government is counting on the Calamity Relief Fund to get some financial relief from the Centre, but till that happens, many distressed farmers can only hope the government reaches out to them in time.
They were joined by a few Union Ministers from Maharashtra in the 10 minute long meeting with the PM in Parliament. Yet, at the end, it appears the delegation returned empty-handed.
In fact, even before the Maharashtra Chief Minister met the Prime Minister, state Congress leaders called on Sonia Gandhi to apprise her of the situation of the 15 districts badly affected.
Even Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi, who recently visited some affected districts in Maharashtra, called on PM Singh on the eve of the delegation meeting.
The Maharashtra government says that though it hasn't received any immediate disbursal of funds from the Centre, it doesn't mean there is any delay in tackling the drought-like situation in the state. CM Prithviraj Chavan sought to clarify that money is being diverted from other welfare projects to ensure that immediate relief measures do not suffer due to lack of funds, including water tankers, cattle sheds, cattle fodder etc. He added that the state government hoped to get the reimbursement of these funds from the Centre.
But the Opposition is not convinced. Shiv Sena Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha, Sanjay Raut said, "If it was Mamata Banerjee, she would have been able to get Rs 2000 crore in two minutes. Here, the state hasn't managed to get even Rs 10 in 10 minutes. The drought situation is very serious and needs immediate and urgent help and action."
The Centre, perhaps, is being more cautious as there have been similar pleas for drought-related relief from both Congress-ruled Andhra Pradesh and BJP-ruled Karnataka in the last few months, and doesn't want to be seen as favouring one state over another.
In fact, when asked why Maharashtra seems to lose out with the Centre when it came to relief, CM Prithviraj Chavan shot back, "This is not a race or a competition that we have to compare this with CMs from other states. There is a process for this. We are grateful to the Centre that it sent a team immediately to these affected districts. The team will now submit its report."
He added, "Vidarbha has only nine percent land under irrigation. Our priority is to make sure that percentage is increased significantly. Last year, the state got Rs 700 crore less from the Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Program or AIBP. Immediate relief is already underway but we want a long term solution including irrigation."
The state government is counting on the Calamity Relief Fund to get some financial relief from the Centre, but till that happens, many distressed farmers can only hope the government reaches out to them in time.
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