Mumbai, Sep 25 (IANS) Former Maharashtra CM and Shiv Sena-UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday demanded that the Central government should provide assistance from the PM Cares Fund and waive off loans especially in the damage caused to the agriculture due to the heavy rain and floods in Marathwada and other parts of Maharashtra.

He also demanded that the MahaYuti government should immediately provide a financial assistance of Rs 50,000 per hectare on the lines of AAP government in Punjab.

He told reporters after visiting the villages hit hard by devastating rains and floods in Dharashiv district that farmers should get help before Diwali.

“The PM Care Fund was created during the Corona period, but we don’t know who has created it. Lakhs of crores of rupees were deposited in the PM Care Fund during the Corona period. The Prime Minister should use the PM Care Fund now,” he said.

“If the government does not waive off the farmers’ loans, then Shiv Sena will stand with the farmers pressing for the loan waiver,” he announced after interacting with the farmers.

Thackeray slammed the state government for the announcement of financial aid claiming it wad quite paltry considering the severity of the damage.

“Currently, the farmers are expected to get meager amount of Rs 3,500 acre for acre. They will have to spend more money even for cleaning their farms. There was a similar crisis in Punjab, where the AAP government has announced Rs 50,000 per hectare. If Punjab has provided such help, then there is no problem for Maharashtra to provide Rs 50,000 per hectare. I do not want to do politics in this, but the government should help,” he said.

He further stated: “While I was coming from the car, I heard Deputy CM Ajit Pawar’s statement that the government is spending Rs 45,000 crore on the Ladki Bahin Yojana. With the amount of money being given under the Ladkya Bahin Yojana, in today’s situation, is that sister’s house going to be restored with the aid of Rs 1,500 given monthly under the scheme? Ajit Pawar should answer this.”

He clarified that as the Chief Minister said, no one should not bring politics into this. “At the same time, if the aid provided by the government is less, it cannot be accepted,” he expressed.

“This kind of crisis has come after many years. According to some farmers, such a terrible crisis has befallen Marathwada in their lifetime. Land has been eroded, crops have rotten, houses and gates have been washed away and animals have been also washed away. Overall, not only agriculture has been washed away, but the lives of the farmers here and the citizens living around have been washed away,” Thackeray said.

He reiterated that “the help the government is giving is too inadequate.If the farmers will take up cleaning of the fields which is full of mud and where the soil has been eroded, it will cost twice as much. The government is making fun of the farmers”.

He claimed that the situation of crop insurance is bad, it is a scam. Banks are issuing notices to the farmers for repayment of loans. He asked the farmers that if they receive such notices take them to the nearest Shiv Sena-UBT ‘shakha’ as the party will see what to do later.

–IANS

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