Fadnavis must answer farmers on loan waiver promise: Congress spokesperson
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Mumbai, Sep 23: Congress senior spokesperson Atul Londhe on Wednesday questioned Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis over the BJP's election-time promise to completely waive farmers' loans and clear their loan records, amid a serious drought situation in the state.
Londhe said the drought had created a major crisis for farmers, many of whom were awaiting government assistance. He welcomed Fadnavis' ongoing visit to drought-affected areas but questioned what concrete measures had been taken to address the situation.
Describing the prevailing drought as one of the most severe since the 1972 crisis, Londhe recalled measures introduced by successive Congress governments after the 1972 drought, including the Employment Guarantee Scheme, which later became the foundation for the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGA).
Londhe alleged that the BJP-led government had reduced funding for MGNREGA and was attempting to weaken the scheme. These claims could not be independently verified from his statement.
He also questioned the extent of assistance provided to farmers during previous droughts and episodes of excessive rainfall, and alleged that the farm loan waiver announced by the BJP-led government had not benefited farmers adequately.
Londhe further sought clarity on the status of the Rs 49,000-crore water grid project announced in 2014 and urged the state government to spell out its long-term strategy for tackling recurring droughts.
Referring to measures undertaken during earlier Congress governments, Londhe said schemes promoting horticulture and crops requiring less water were introduced when Sharad Pawar was Chief Minister and claimed that these initiatives contributed to the growth of Maharashtra's food-processing sector.
He urged the government to use the Chief Minister's field visits to understand farmers' problems and take concrete steps to provide relief and address the state's long-term water and agricultural challenges.
