MUMBAI: Opposition members resorted to sloganeering while pushing for their demand for complete crop loan waiver on Monday during the joint seating of both the houses of Maharashtra Legislature for the Governor’s address before the budget session.
Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao in his speech highlighted the government’s efforts towards sustainable agriculture and water conservation. He also put forth the new infrastructure projects that the government has initiated in the recent times. “In order to mitigate agrarian distress and increase agricultural productivity, my government has initiated a slew of farmer friendly measures in the form of sustainable development schemes, marketing support, crop insurance, water conservation, irrigation and agricultural diversification. All these measures would contribute to doubling of farmer’s income in the next five years,” Governor said.
He also mentioned Nanaji Deshmukh Krishi Sanjeevani Project that aims for climate resilient agriculture with the assistance of Rs 4000 crore from the World Bank.
Highlighting the government’s efforts in mitigating drought, the governor pointed out that nearly 11,000 villages have been made drought proof by conserving every drop of water in village watershed under “Jalyukta Shivar Abhiyan” programme.
“Crop loan of Rs 5124 crore of 6.85 lakh farmers was restructured that enabled 4.39 lakh farmers avail of fresh loan for Rs 3276 crore. The government also decided to bear the entire interest on restructured loan for the first year and to levy only 6% interest for the remaining four years. My government has decided to refinance nine District Central Co-operative Banks for restructured crop loan of
Rs 825 crore. Towards this, my government has decided to pay Rs 123 crore and has also extended guarantee to NABARD for Rs 495 crore,” said Rao.
He also hailed the State government for the implementation of minimum support price scheme for pulses and oilseeds.
The Governor enumerated several infrastructure projects including metro, rail, roads, highways, expressways, ports and airports initiated by the government. He also mentioned the government’s novel initiatives like setting up of a commission for implementation of right to public service act, connecting villages by optical fibre network, Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and System Project, adopting “Institutional Arbitration Policy”, efforts to elevated human development index of 1000 villages of the state through corporate social responsibility, etc.
However, Opposition leaders, who were sporting caps with slogans advocating complete crop loan waiver, started sloganeering as soon as the Governor’s address was completed.
Later in the Assembly, Speaker Haribhau Bagde informed the House that a discussion on the Governor’s address to the joint sitting of both the Houses will be taken up on March 8 and 9 and the Chief Minister will reply to the debate on March 9.
Three Bills - Mumbai Municipal Corporation (amendment) Bill 2017, Mumbai Municipal Corporation and Maharashtra Municipal Corporation (amendment) Bill 2017, and Maharashtra Grampanchayat and Maharashtra Zilla Parishad and Panchayat Samiti (amendment) Bill 2017 were reintroduced in the Assembly on Monday. Also, supplementary demands to the tune of Rs 11,104 crore were tabled in the Maharashtra Legislature on the first day of the Budget session.