'Centre only pays lip service to farmers, not doing enough': Maha Deputy CM Ajit Pawar

As the Maha Vikas Aghadi presented its first budget on Friday, Maharashtra's Finance Minister and Deputy CM Ajit Pawar alleged the Central government of not doing enough for the farmers. Pawar also went on to claim that the center did not clear funds to help small farm holders recover from crop loss.

"Central government did not approve funds last year for farmers who faced crop loss due to rainfall. Centre only approved around Rs 956 crores. So instead of waiting for Centre's help, we took the initiative to help the farmers," he said.

The Finance Minister even addressed the Maharashtra assembly on the issue of Coronavirus and claimed that the Indian economy is facing losses due to the virus. "Indian economy is facing a great loss...I am not saying this is to criticise the Central Government over current economic conditions but it is a fact," Deputy CM Pawar stated. 

READ | Maha Vikas Aghadi budget: Farm loan waivers, water conservation & jobs in-focus for Uddhav

Maharashtra to have women police stations

To ensure women's safety in the state, the Aghadi government also announced women police stations for all districts across the state with all-female officials.

Announcing the Chief Minister's Water Conservation Scheme and allocating Rs 2000 crore to the Water and Soil Conservation department for the same, Ajit Pawar said, "In the next five years, 5,000 solar agricultural pumps will be set up to provide electricity to farmers at night. Rs 670 crore has been set aside for it."

READ | Maharashtra Budget: World-class aquarium proposed in Mumbai by MVA govt

Key announcements in the budget (2020-2021):

Farm loan waiver:

• Loan waiver of Rs 7000 crore for 2020-21 and one-time settlement scheme for farmers with an outstanding loan of more than Rs 2 lakhs.

• Rs 670 crore for procuring solar pumps for farmers
• Payback scheme of Rs 50,000 to farmers who have paid back loans regularly in part 3 years
• Rs 10,235 crores allocated for groundwater conservation under 'CM water conservation scheme'
• Rs 2043 allocated for tap water installation

Infrastructure & Urban development

• Rs 1000 crores allocated for urban road development 
• Rs 3500 crores allocated for development projects in Konkan region - Ring road project in the area will start in 2020
• Rs 401 crores allocated to State transport to scrap old ST buses and add 1600 new buses
• Rs 1501 crores allocated for 40,000 km in rural road development
• Rs 1657 crores for Metro-rail development.

Education, youth & employment

• Rs 1300 crores allocated for higher and technical education
• Offering 10 lakh youth internship under the Apprentice Act in private and semi-government offices for which the government will pay 75% of the salary
• Rs 2,525 crore allocated for education and sports activities
• Rs 5 crores allocated for the digitisation of texts available with Mumbai Marathi Grantha Sangrahalaya
• 80% of jobs will be allocated to domiciles of the state
• Establishing an Olympic training center in Pune
• Rs 10 crores allocated to Marathi-medium school in Karnataka a separate grant to Marathi dailies

Others

• Rs 5000 crores allocated for First aid services
• To boost 'Shiv Bhojan scheme' up to 1 lakh thaalis, Rs 150 crore has been allocated
• Rs 1630 crores allocated for forest conservation and Rs 230 crores for environmental ministry
• Rs 2100 crores allocated for women safety
• Rs 9668 crores allocated for social justice development
• Rs 5 crore to set up Transgender Welfare Board
• Rs 7995 crores allocated for textile development
• Rs 3254 crores allocated for animal husbandry & fisheries department

READ | 'Maha government funds to be deposited only in PSU banks, not private lenders': Ajit Pawar

READ | Will make Maha number one state on the economic front again: Ajit Pawar

(With inputs from ANI)