Khadse said that 408 villages in Ahmednagar and 645 villages in Solapur district have been declared as drought-hit and hence will be given the exemptions.
Terming it as the first of its kind crisis, the Maharashtra government has announced 1,053 villages falling in Ahmadnagar and Solapur to be facing drought situation for the ongoing Rabbi season.
Relief and rehabilitation minister Eknath Khadse on Wednesday announced in council several measures decided by cabinet in a last night decision to curb the crisis. The decisions include exemptions from land related taxes, school examination fees, discounts on bills of agriculture pump bills, restructuring of loans and stay on debt recovery.
Khadse said that 408 villages in Ahmednagar and 645 villages in Solapur district have been declared as drought-hit and hence will be given the exemptions.
"This is the first time in the history of the state that the government has declared drought for Rabi season," Khadse commented. These are those villages where crop loss is less than 50% as per revise rules to become eligible for getting financial aid from the government, he added.
Meanwhile, leader of Opposition Dhananjay Munde demanded condolence motion to be moved for farmers who committed suicide recently. He made the demand when a condolence motion for former MLA Bhanwarlal Jain was moved by Khadse, leader of the House.
Besides, the opposition leaders made noise over introduction of a new custom in the house of giving vote of thanks to the governor immediately after his speech without holding a discussion on it. Congress leader Ashok Jagtap objected to it saying the opposition leaders have not been apprised about it.
"No new custom can be accepted merely by mentioning that directions have come from Centre to do so. It's an attack on our sovereignty," Jagtap said. His claim, however, was countered by house chairman Ramraje Naik Nimbalkar saying that the discussion on the speech will take place in coming days and there won't be any questions about attack on sovereignty.
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 "Eknath Khadse")
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