Maharashtra drought: NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar submits 17-point demands to CM Fadnavis

NCP SP chief Sharad Pawar has submitted a letter to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis putting forward 17 demands for immediate relief for droughtaffected farmers agricultural labourers and rural residents in the stateIn the letter Pawar demanded a waiver of agricultural and allied loans taken from cooperative banks nationalised banks urban cooperative banks and credit societiesLoans taken by farmers for agriculture and allied activities from cooperative banks nationalised banks urban cooperative banks and credit societies as well as personal loans from the Social Justice Minority and Tribal Welfare departments loans taken for orchards and loans taken by womens selfhelp groups SHGs since the previous loan waiver should be completely waived Pawar said in the letter ANI reportedLoan electricity and foodgrain waivers soughtHe also sought a waiver of land revenue and agricultural electricity bills along with the provision of 25 kg of free foodgrains per family and direct financial assistance for affected peopleComplete land revenue should be waived All electricity bills for farmers agricultural pumps should be waived Twentyfive kg of foodgrains should be provided free of cost per family to farmer and agricultural labourer families dependent on agriculture the letter readRs 1 lakh per hectare aid for farmersThe demands also include financial assistance of Rs 1 lakh per hectare for farmers and Rs 25000 for agricultural labourers affected by the droughtConsidering the severity of the drought situation in Maharashtra financial assistance of Rs 100000 per hectare for farmers and Rs 25000 for agricultural labourers should be transferred immediately to their bank accounts Pawar said ANI reportedTehsildars to approve water tankersPawar further demanded that tehsildars be empowered to approve water tankers to ensure the immediate availability of drinking water for people and livestockThe authority to approve water tankers for drinking water for people as well as livestock should be given to tehsildars and immediate action should be taken in this regard he saidFee waivers MGNREGA works and crop compensationHe also sought employment guarantee works special funds for water conservation measures a waiver of educational fees hostel fees and mess charges for students and compensation for losses suffered by farmers due to damage to crops and fruit orchardsUnder the Employment Guarantee Scheme MGNREGA the current criteria should be relaxed to start water conservation works Educational fees of school and college students in droughtaffected areas as well as hostel and mess fees of students staying in hostels should be completely waived Pawar saidPawar seeks special threeday Assembly sessionIn the letter Pawar also demanded that a special threeday session of the Maharashtra Legislature be convened to discuss the drought situation and urged the government to provide assistance to farmers and agricultural labourers before Dussehra and DiwaliA special threeday session of the Maharashtra Legislature should be convened to discuss the drought situation in detail and take decisions regarding necessary measures he said ANI reportedPawar urged the Maharashtra government to seriously consider the difficulties faced by droughtaffected farmers agricultural workers and rural residents and implement the demands without delayIt is requested that the abovementioned demands be implemented urgently by the government to provide immediate relief to farmers agricultural labourers and citizens suffering from the drought Pawar saidWith ANI inputs