Fadnavis lists his Govt's anti-drought steps; slams Cong-NCP

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis today outlined the various initiatives taken by his Government to tackle drought and said the previous NCP- Congress administration failed to solve the water crisis in a planned manner.
"We are suffering because of nature as well as mistakes committed in the past, when water problem was never addressed in planned way. Today, one Minister is visiting one taluka and these visits are for reviewing the progress of our (drought mitigation) schemes," he said.
Fadnavis was interacting with farmers and locals in Lambota village of Nilanga taluka in Latur district after initiating the river rejuvenation work of Lambota river in the drought-affected Marathwada region.

He praised the common people, most of them poor, from the State for contributing Rs 350 crore for implementing the 'Jalyukt Shivar Abhiyan,' a Goverment-sponsored integrated water conservation and management scheme that seeks to make Maharashtra free of drought in five years.
"If we make provisions to supply regular water and power to the farmer, not only he himself would survive, but he will empower others also," Fadnavis said.
The CM said his Government, which assumed office in October 2014, has given a record number of power connections to farmers in the last one year. Applications for these connections had been pending for the last 5-10 years.

"After the record-breaking financial aid to farmers, the Government launched a farm-pond scheme. I am happy to inform that in just three days, 24,000 farmers applied for this scheme," he said.

The scheme, under which ponds will be built in farms to harvest water, will be implemented through MNREGA, he said.
"Fodder camps were set up in the month of October and these will continue to function till needed. We have made a provision of about Rs 18,000 crore in less than two years, as against Rs 8,000 crore in the last 15 years (of Cong-NCP Govt)," Fadnavis said.
The CM said he has issued orders to officials to ensure crop insurance relief is provided to affected farmers and the amount is deposited in their bank accounts.

He said women self-help groups are being empowered by lending them loans at 0 per cent interest rate. As many as 20,000 farmers attended health camps organised by the local administration.
Fadnavis said he has ordered the District Collectors and tehsildars to immediately register an FIR if any farmer is deprived of benefits under the food security scheme.