Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Sep 25 (IANS) The Congress on Thursday demanded that the state government should deposit Rs 50,000 per hectare before Dussehra in the bank accounts of farmers affected by heavy rain and floods in Marathwada and other parts of Maharashtra.

State Congress chief Harshwardhan Sapkal, who visited villages hit hard by the natural disaster from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Jalna districts, said the situation in the state has become extremely grim due to excessive rainfall and floods.

“The entire Kharif season has been ruined. Farmers have suffered immense losses, yet not a single administrative officer has come to inspect the situation. With Dussehra and Diwali approaching, the Chief Minister is only throwing around statistics without taking any concrete decisions. Even though it is evident that a wet drought exists, the government is turning a blind eye. The question of where to get the money is the government’s problem, but compensation of Rs 50,000 per hectare must be deposited into the accounts of affected farmers before,” he said after interacting with the affected farmers and villagers. Sapkal said that the Chief Minister does not act according to his words as he is an expert in making empty promises.

“Farmers’ fields have been washed away, their livelihoods destroyed, and their means of survival wiped out, yet the inactive Fadnavis government remains silent. The government came, took photos at the fields, and left, but nothing reached the farmers’ hands.

On the contrary, the statements of the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Ministers, and Ministers are outrageous.

When farmers question the government, they are threatened with remarks like: “Where should we bring money from? Do we carry cash in our pockets? Don’t do politics.” Farmers and citizens have come onto the streets after losing everything to nature. If the government cannot understand this public outcry, then it is truly insensitive. The Mahayuti government’s language is arrogant and shameful,” he alleged.

Further, Sapkal said that the government has money to help few select industrialists, buy over MLAs and MPs, Rs 55,000 crore for the Samruddhi Expressway, and even Rs 88,000 crore for the Shaktipeeth Expressway.

“But when it comes to giving farmers their due, suddenly there is no money—why sing this dirge? Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Ministers should go to Delhi and bring a special package for Maharashtra from the Central government,” he demanded.

–IANS

sj/pgh