The opposition is refusing to let the government take a breath in the farm loan issue, pressing for its demand for complete waiver relentlessly. While former finance minister Jayant Patil trained the opposition's gun at the state on the issue, former chief minister Prithviraj Chavan ridiculed the farmers' package announced by the union government.
Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis is likely to reply to the debate on Monday.
Ridiculing the package of Rs6,000 crore, out of which Maharashtra is going to get Rs1,850 crore, Chavan said the package is a mirage as there are many conditions over it. He said the sugar factories are facing a crisis and it is not possible to deposit the money directly into farmers' accounts because details of the sugarcane crushed would have to be given by the factories. Moreover, Chavan pointed out, farmers would need to have Aadhaar numbers, and if all details are not furnished by September 30, the package would not be given. Chavan said the government has failed on all counts and can't provide a single rupee to farmers through such a "deceptive" package.
The ex-CM said that to the package meaningful the government should not give Rs1,850 crore as loan but provide it to farmers as grant. "As far as the sugar industry, it's not right on the government's part to punish the entire cooperative movement. Instead, the black sheep should be identified and strong action should be taken only against those," he added.
Chavan said it was not possible for any sugar factory to provide fair and remunerative price (FRP) as sugar prices have come down the world over due to bumper production, and suggested creating a revenue-sharing formula as an alternative to FRP.
Patil criticised the government for demanding loan waiver when it was the opposition. He said finance minister Sudhir Mungantiwar, at that time, had advocated even selling the state's treasury for it. He asked the chief minister to review how much money from the Rs7,000 crore he had announced in the Nagpur session has reached the farmers, bringing to light the fact that 1.4 million farmers so far have been deprived of this package.
Jayant Patil takes on CM, and PM
The fifth day of the monsoon session saw quite a few unpleasantries being exchanged between chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and former finance minister Jayant Patil. After the latter reminded the BJP of its manifesto and promises, saying he can provide a copy of the same by downloading from the Internet, Fadnavis retorted that Patil Patil should conduct a class for them on this. To which Patil replied he would happily do so for the welfare of the state.
When Patil commented on prime minister Narendra Modi, the Chair told him to take his name with respect. Patil then said, "As respected chief minister Devendra Fadnavis is the blue-eyed boy of respected prime minister Narendra Modi saaheb, he should bring as much funds from Centre as possible." When other members objected to this, Patil replied, "I am not saying anything about prime minister Modi on the lines of what BJP MLA Raj Purohit mentioned," and this comment again led to pandemonium.
Patil advised Fadnavis by saying, "The seat you are occupying is a bed of thorns and you should continue your march by ignoring what a BJP MLA says in his CD."
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