The Maharashtra government has spent Rs 50,000 crore for farmer welfare in the last five years compared to less than Rs 20,000 crore in 15 years of the Congress-NCP rule, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Thursday as he launched his mass contact drive ahead of polls.
Fadnavis, who embarked on his two-phase month-long "Maha Janadesh Yatra" (Mega Mandate March), said the programme is aimed at giving an account to the people of the state what the BJP-led government done in the last five years.
Speaking at a rally in Mozari near here inthe presence of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Fadnavissaid in the last five years, his government spent Rs 50,000 crore for farmer welfare compared to less than Rs 20,000 crore allocated in 15 years of the Congress-NCP rule (1999-2014).
The BJP government had announced a mega farm loan waiver in June 2017.
To boost industrial development in Vidarbha, he said, the government has started the ambitious Samruddhi corridor road project connecting Mumbai and Nagpur.
Also Read
The 700km super expressway project will be completed by the end of next year, said Fadnavis, who is heading the first BJP-led government in the state.
In the last five years, the government has built 30,000km of roads in rural Maharashtra. This was the highest ever in five years in any state of the country, he claimed.
"I am coming to the people to give an account of the performance of my government. I am confident of getting a fresh mandate on the basis on my performance," he said.
Fadnavis, who faces re-election in the next few months, said he has never claimed he has been able to fulfil all promises made in the last five years.
"I invite the opposition for an open debate on our performance. If we are not able to prove that we have done double the work of the previous government in five years, I will not go out to seek a fresh mandate," the BJP leader said.
He said allirrigation projects in Vidarbha are being provided funds and there are no delays.
Maharashtra BJP president Chandrakant Patil said the state has been free of communal riots in the last five years.
The BJP-led government was able to resolve pending issues like reservation for Marathas in education and jobs, he said, adding the chief minister's policies have been inclusive.
Speaking on the occasion, Singh said under the leadership of Fadnavis, the Maharashtra government has taken a slew of decisions for the state's development.
The defence minister also highlighted the pro-poor and pro-farmer policies of the Modi government.
The first phase of the yatra will be from August 1-9 during which Fadnavis will cover Vidarbha and Nandurbar in North Maharashtra, BJP functionaries had said earlier.
The second phase will be from August 17 to 31 covering areas between Aurangabad and Nashik. The yatra will cover a distance of 4,232 km spread across 30 of the 36 districts in the state, they had said.
He will hold 104 rallies during the yatra, they had said.
Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content
