The ruling partners Shiv Sena and Congress were pitted against each other on the setting of National Institute of Medicinal Plant proposed in Maharashtra by the Union Ministry of AYUSH. The Shiv Sena MP Vinay Raut, who is a close confidante of the Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, alleged that there was an attempt by the Minister of Medical Education Amit Deshmukh to hijack the proposed plant to Latur from Sindhudurg.
However, Deshmukh, who hails from Latur and is its district guardian minister, retorted Raut’s claim there was no need to make such statements on the administrative matters. ‘’The issue can be resolved through discussion. Earlier, the project site was selected in Jalgaon but since it was not suitable other sites are being considered. No one has hijacked the project,’’ the minister said.
Deshmukh downplayed Raut’s outburst making it clear that there were no differences among ruling partners of the Maha Vikas Aghadi government in the state.
It all started after Raut, who was elected from the Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg constituency in Lok Sabha elections held last year, said the AYUSH Ministry has approved the establishment of the National Institute of Medicinal Plant at Adhali, Doda Marg in the Konkan. ‘’However, there are attempts to hijack the project. Deshmukh has made a strong case for the setting up of the proposed project at Latur in the Marathwada region. The Chief Minister has assured that the project will come up in the Konkan,’’ he added.
