Latest news with #ShaktipeethMahamarg
Hans India
15 hours ago
- Politics
- Hans India
Farmers' suicides: Oppn walks out twice from Assembly, accuses Maha govt of apathy
Mumbai: The Opposition on Wednesday staged a walk out twice in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly citing the government's apathy towards farmers, especially amid a record 767 cases of suicides by growers being reported in just three months during January-March this year in the state and the non-payment of promised rates to soybean growers. Former Leader of Opposition, Vijay Wadettiwar, who had moved a notice under Rule 97 for adjournment on the farmers' suicides cases, stated that the Maharashtra government was not serious despite a record 767 cases of suicides by growers being reported in just three months during January-March this year, of which 200 cases were declared non-eligible for providing compensation to the kin of the deceased. However, Speaker Rahul Narvekar announced that he had already rejected the notice in his chamber even though the farmers' suicides were a matter of concern. Wadettiwar, who was allowed to speak, claimed that farmers' suicides in Maharashtra were increasing and they were happening every day. 'A whopping 767 farmers committed suicide in Maharashtra between January and March this year. Of these, 200 cases have been declared ineligible for compensation and 194 cases are pending for investigation. On the one hand, the Maharashtra government does not provide any help to farmers who then commit suicide, on the other hand, the government has been spending crores of rupees on infrastructure development,' he said. Wadettiwar further said, 'The Agriculture Minister calls farmers beggars and former Minister Babanrao Lonikar makes objectionable statements against farmers and insults them. "Farmers are not getting guaranteed prices for their agricultural produce. Soybean farmers and cotton growers have not received money. The Maharashtra government had promised to give one-and-a half times the price to farmers' produce." "It had announced to waive off loans before the elections, but now the government is dillydallying over its promise. The government has announced to form a committee to look into the loan waiver issue. Why is the government biding time by forming a committee?' he asked. Wadettiwar said, "The Maharashtra government recently approved Rs 20,000 crore for the Rs 86,300 crore Shaktipeeth Mahamarg, but is there no money for farm loan waiver?" He reiterated that the condition of farmers in the state is dire. 'Unable to afford the cost of hitching an ox to a plough, a 65-year-old farmer from Latur, Ambadas Pawar, hitched himself to a plough instead of a pair of bullocks. Therefore, all business must be put aside and the farmers' problems should be discussed,' he demanded. Thereafter, Shiv Sena (UBT) legislator Bhaskar Jadhav sought the Chair's permission to take forward the discussion and argued that the farmer suicides were a matter of concern and it is happening when the Monsoon Session is underway and, therefore, the adjournment motion moved by Wadettiwar should be taken up for discussion immediately. However, the Speaker reiterated that farmers' suicides is a serious issue and he would allocate the full day on Thursday for a discussion on it. He asked the Opposition to submit a necessary notice. However, the Opposition staged a walk out, accusing the government of being insensitive to the plight of farmers and avoiding a discussion. They protested the government's neglect and apathy towards farmers. Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar countered the Opposition's charge saying that the Maharashtra government will not run away from the discussion and was ready to do it even today. He claimed that the Opposition was flagging up such issues with a political motive but said that the government was committed to help the farmers. Earlier, the Opposition comprising Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP) expressed serious displeasure over the alleged cheating of soybean producers from Vidarbha region. Wadettiwar along with NCP (SP) legislators Jayant Patil and Rohit Pawar raised the lapses in the procurement of soybean and payment to the farmers, saying that growers had yet to get the price despite the government's claim of Direct Benefit Transfer in their bank accounts. Dissatisfied by the reply given by the minister of marketing Jaikumar Rawal, the Opposition staged a walk out.
Hans India
4 days ago
- Politics
- Hans India
Maha: Heated debate expected on Hindi language row, Shaktipeeth during upcoming monsoon session
Mumbai: Raging controversy over the introduction of Hindi in Marathi and English schools from classes 1 to 5, the protests against the land acquisition for the Rs 86,300 crore Shaktipeeth Mahamarg, tabling of Public Security Act following the scrutiny of the joint select committee, damage caused to agriculture due to unseasonal rains and demand for from loan waiver are among the several issues which are going to be discussed during the three week monsoon session of Maharashtra Legislature starting from June 30 in Mumbai. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that the government is prepared for debate in the state legislature, adding that the session will be held up to July 18 as per the agenda and time schedule fixed by the Business Advisory Committee. On the other hand, the Leader of Opposition in the state council, Ambadas Danve, said that the opposition parties will take on the government on a range of issues, exposing its inaction on all fronts. Ruling and opposition parties are set to have a noisy discussion on the inclusion of Hindi as a third language in the state curriculum. The MahaYuti government has said that the Marathi language is mandatory, while the Hindi language is optional. On the other hand, Shiv Sena UBT and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena have joined hands to take a morcha against the imposition of Hindi while appealing to other parties to participate for the protection of Marathi. Shiv Sena (Thackeray), Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar) are going to take an aggressive stand on the three-language formula of the grand alliance government. Interestingly, NCP national president and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar has opposed the introduction of Hindi from classes 1 to 5, saying that Hindi should be taught from the fifth standard and not from classes 1 to 4. The Chief Minister is expected to further clarify the state government's stand in his reply to the debate. The face off between ruling and opposition parties is also expected on the state Cabinet's recent decision to clear Rs 20,000 crore for the project design and land acquisition for the 802-km six-lane Shaktipeeth Expressway connecting 18 pilgrimage sites, including three and a half Shaktipeeths, two Jyotirlingas and Pandharpur Ambejogai in the state. The project will pass through 12 districts. However, farmers have already stepped up their protests against the land acquisition, while opposition parties have alleged that the project is being pursued for the benefit of contractors. Farmers from 12 districts will hold a simultaneous protest against the Shaktipeeth Mahamarg on July 1. Opposition parties have already extended their support, asking the government not to implement the project at the cost of farmers' interests. The opposition is accusing the MahaYuti government of dilly-dallying over its poll promise of farm loan waiver. Shiv Sena UBT, Congress and MCP (SP) have alleged that while the government is spending huge money on infrastructure and other projects, it does not have money to provide a loan waiver. However, the Chief Minister and Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule have said that the government will take the decision at an appropriate time. Bawankule said that the government will make an announcement of a high-level committee on loan waivers during the monsoon session. Further, opposition has blamed the government for not being serious in providing help to the farmers hit hard by unseasonal rains witnessed in May in Maharashtra. They have decided to 'grill' Agriculture Minister Manikrao Kokate for his recent statements on farm loan waiver and for conducting panchnamas of damaged crops. The Chief Minister said that the panchnamas are an ongoing process, and the government is committed to providing financial assistance to the farmers. The opposition is set to corner the state government on the Public Security Act as the joint select committee, chaired by Chandrashekhar Bawankule, has completed its scrutiny. The committee has suggested amending the objective from 'certain unlawful activities of individuals and organisations' to 'certain unlawful activities of Left Wing Extremist (LWE) organisations or similar organisations.' The committee has dropped the urban naxal reference, which was there in the original bill presented by the state government in the winter session of the state legislature held last year. Bawankule is optimistic that the revised bill will be passed during the monsoon session, although the opposition proposes to seek further clarifications relating to its implementation. Meanwhile, state NCP (SP) chief and party legislator from Islampur in Sangli district, Jayant Patil, hoped that the Speaker would restrict the number of calling attention motions and thereby conduct the proceedings as per the rules.
