A Shiv Sena delegation today met Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh and sought an assistance of Rs 2,000 crore to tackle the massive crop losses due to drought in some parts of Maharashtra.
The delegation-led by Union Minister Anant Geete and other Shiv Sena leaders as well as farmers leader Raju Shetti told Singh that around 364 farmers have committed suicide in Vidarbha region alone due to drought.
"Agricultural crops are badly affected due to drought following poor rains in Marathwada and Vidarbha. The same situation prevails in western and northern Maharashtra," Geete said in a representation given to the Agriculture Minister.
"In Marathwada, 364 farmers have committed suicide. Their families are in bad shape. To support them, Shiva Sena seeks a package of Rs 2,000 crore for Maharashtra," he said.
Besides, the party has sought waiving off farm loans, a relief fund of Rs 5 lakh to the each family of farmers who committed suicides, Rs 10,000 per acre to drought-hit farmers and fodder supply to protect livestock.
Shiv Sena has said that the government can transfer the relief funds into bank accounts opened under the Jan Dhan Yojana.
Speaking about the drought situation in some pockets of Maharashtra outside Parliament here, Congress MP from Hingoli in Marathwada said, "The state government is not at all serious about the issue. The Maharashtra government has not asked for any help on the issue yet."
"The state government should study the issue well before asking for funds so that the Centre does not raise any objections," Swabhimani Paksha MP Raju Shetti said.
Blaming the previous Congress government in the state, BJP MP from north east Mumbai, Kirit Somaiya said, "This is all because of irrigation scam as there was no arrangement for providing water to farm fields. A special team should visit Marathwada to assess the drought situation and correspond with the centre.
