[ad_1]
The NCP chief stated the losses had been significantly larger in some districts similar to Osmanabad, Latur, Nanded, Solapur and Pune.
The agricultural devastation wrought by the retreating monsoon had thrust Maharashtra within the grip of an unprecedented economic disaster, stated Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar on Monday whereas urging the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) authorities to take loans so as to pull out farmers of the current monetary mire.
“I will be making an earnest request to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray in this regard. The State government will have to borrow and secure maximum loans to compensate for loss of agricultural land. I see no other alternative to ameliorate the present situation,” stated Mr. Pawar, observing that the surplus rains had not solely ravaged croplands however had additionally wrecked village infrastructure apart from killing innumerable livestock.
The NCP chief was talking in Tuljapur in rain-wracked Osmanabad district on the second day of his tour of the areas within the State’s Marathwada area.
He stated whereas many districts within the State had been hit laborious by heavy showers, the losses had been significantly larger in some districts similar to Osmanabad, Latur, Nanded, Solapur and Pune.
‘Soybean, sugarcane drop damaged’
“In certain tehsils in these acutely-afflicted districts, the destruction wrought is unimaginable…while crops like soybean and sugarcane have rotted or been damaged, the swollen rivers and streams have destroyed pipelines while washing away fertile agricultural soil and destroying village roads. Had only the crops been damaged, the effect may have been limited to the next sowing season, but this time, the entire agricultural system has been smashed by the excess rains,” Mr. Pawar stated, expressing concern that farmers could be dealing with grave challenges within the close to future.
He stated that the State authorities would have to make heavy investments to revive the agricultural infrastructure rendered decrepit by the retreating monsoon showers. It was crucial for the Centre to step in and assist the State authorities on this vital hour.
“This is an economic crisis of historic proportions that has befallen Maharashtra. While the State government is doing whatever it can, can it cope single-handedly? The Centre will have to help the State’s farmers,” stated the previous Union Agriculture Minister.
‘Everyone must unite’
Mr. Pawar stated that he had heard that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a cellphone dialog with Mr. Thackeray, had assured of assist to Maharashtra’s farmers.
“Everyone must come together to help Maharashtra…During elections, we politicians may hurl barbs at each other, but we have to unite in moments of crises. At the time of the 2001 earthquake in Bhuj in Gujarat, the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had handed over the responsibility of organising relief to me. Despite being the leader of the BJP, which was in power at the Centre, he [Mr. Vajpayee] never discriminated politicians along party lines,” he stated.
Responding to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis’ tour of rain-hit Baramati (the bastion of the Pawar clan), Mr. Pawar stated that the previous Chief Minister was welcome to go to.
“If anyone is doing something to help farmers, it is welcome. They need all the help they can get.”
At the identical time, in a pointed comment directed on the Opposition’s criticism of the ruling MVA authorities, Mr. Pawar stated that the BJP within the State appeared to imagine that they had a magic wand to resolve this disaster instantly.
“If that is the case, then we request that they [Opposition BJP] also teach us a little magic in private to enable us to help afflicted farmers,” stated the NCP chief.
[ad_2]
