Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray took on the state government on Friday during his tour of Ahmednagar district. Thackeray, who visited fields and met some farmers, said that the flagship program of the state government - Shasan Tumchya Dari is useless and is just an advertisement farce.
The government, instead, should start working to avoid the ill effects of drought and must immediately give compensation to farmers who have suffered crop losses due to lack of rains.
Thackeray took potshots at CM Shinde
Thackeray taunted Chief Minister Eknath Shinde as he visited Kakdi village of Sangamner taluka of Ahmednagar district where standing crops have perished due to the dry spell over the past few weeks. "Shinde can go to his farm on board a helicopter but he must also visit those areas where farmers are facing crop loss," he said.
''When farmers are on the brink of drought, they have not got compensation for (losses due to) unseasonal rains last year. The government should give immediate compensation,'' the former chief minister said. He also slammed the state government's crop insurance scheme for ₹1 as a ''farce'' and asked when 'panchnama' (loss assessment) will be done in connection with damage to crops.
''The government is lying. Instead of spending money on advertisements, it would be better if it were given to farmers. They (ruling dispensation) have the money to engineer splits in parties but not to give to farmers,'' Thackeray alleged.
Thackeray briefed on water scarcity situation
Farmers have to buy water from tankers to save their crops and are also not getting regular power supply, Thackeray said. The Shiv Sena (UBT) chief said he would tour other parts of the state and meet farmers.
As Thackeray interacted with farmers, he was told that in 182 villages in the belt there is absolutely no water, and the Soybean crop is all lost. The region had received ₹1000 crore during the MVA regimen but hasn't received anything after that, they added.
