Maharashtra FM rejects Oppn charge on supplementary demands

Mumbai: Maharashtra Government today rejected Opposition allegations that it has done injustice to the farmers by not making any provisions for them in the supplementary demands.

Finance Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar told the Legislative Council all provisions that have been made are in public interest and this includes welfare of farmers. He had proposed supplementary demands of Rs 14,793
crore on Monday. These demands were discussed in the Upper House and approved after a debate.

During the discussion, Rahul Narvekar (NCP) objected on the size of the amount and said the BJP-led Government has failed to make a provision for the farmers.

"Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has denied a complete waiver of loans to the farmers. We were expecting some financial provisions for them through supplementary demands," Narvekar said.

He also objected to the provision made for victims of anti-Sikh riots in the State's supplementary demands. Congress' Manikrao Thakre, NCP's Kiran Pawaskar, Shiv Sena's Neelam Gorhe and some other members suggested a few additions for various schemes in the demands.

In his reply, Mungantiwar said by making provision his Government has done justice to the Sikh community, which should have been done by the previous ruling coalition. He also attacked Narvekar, saying he had left a party (Shiv Sena) that always believed in keeping its word and joined NCP which meted out injustice to farmers.

Praising Sena Ministers, Mungantiwar, a BJP member, said they have proposed funds for schemes such as public health and repairing of ST bus depots. In supplementary demands worth Rs. 14,793 crore, the
highest - Rs 1272 crore - has been proposed for public health department followed by Rs 603 crore for crop insurance policy.

For repairing of ST depots, a sum of Rs 126 crore has been proposed, Rs 125 crore allocated for Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar's 125th birth anniversary celebrations, Rs 40 crore for buying Ambedkar's residence in London, Rs 799 crore for closing toll plazas across the State and Rs 147 crore earmarked for repairing of district-level civil hospitals.

Mungantiwar rejected allegations that he failed to calculate the Budget size and hence proposed a huge amount through supplementary demands. "The actual liability of the State will be of Rs 5,962
crore from the total Rs 14,793 crore. The remaining amount is the grant from Central Government," he said.Later, the Upper House approved the supplementary demands.