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By:

Abhijit Mulye

21 August 2024 at 11:29:11 am

Fadnavis writes off Rs 48,000 crore

Mumbai: In a clear indication that the Maharashtra government is leaving no stone unturned to keep the state’s agrarian base happy, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has unleashed yet another massive populist measure. Hot on the heels of relaxing the eligibility criteria to ensure a blanket farm loan waiver, the Chief Minister announced a sweeping Rs 48,000 crore waiver on the pending electricity bills of farmers across the state. Addressing a ‘Krutadnyata Sohala’ (gratitude ceremony)...

Fadnavis writes off Rs 48,000 crore

Mumbai: In a clear indication that the Maharashtra government is leaving no stone unturned to keep the state’s agrarian base happy, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has unleashed yet another massive populist measure. Hot on the heels of relaxing the eligibility criteria to ensure a blanket farm loan waiver, the Chief Minister announced a sweeping Rs 48,000 crore waiver on the pending electricity bills of farmers across the state. Addressing a ‘Krutadnyata Sohala’ (gratitude ceremony) organized by the BJP Kisan Morcha at Mumbai’s Yashwantrao Chavan Pratishthan on Wednesday, Fadnavis declared that farmers using agricultural pumps of up to 7.5 horsepower will see their historical electricity dues completely wiped out. The announcement was met with the traditional sounding of the Tutari and thunderous applause from hundreds of farmers who had gathered from every corner of the state. The Chief Minister framed the mega-sop as a necessary step to “wipe the farmers’ slate clean,” enabling them to write a new chapter of prosperity. Calculated Pitch The timing and scale of the announcement underscore a government that is boldly embracing populist economics to solidify its political footprint in rural Maharashtra. While Fadnavis maintained that these decisions were taken purely in the interest of the farmers—pointing out that the original loan waiver was announced when no elections were in sight—the political undertones were unmistakable. Taking a sharp dig at the opposition, the Chief Minister accused rival parties of running “political shops” in the name of farmer agitations without understanding the government’s genuine intent. Asserting his grassroots connection, Fadnavis proudly claimed, “I do not make decisions sitting in my house. I am a farmer myself, a man of the soil.” He openly defended the government’s recent move to strip away the stringent conditions attached to the blanket farm loan waiver, signaling that his administration will not hesitate to clear bureaucratic hurdles if it means putting money directly into the hands of the rural voter. Balancing Sops Even as he rained freebies, the Chief Minister attempted to balance the populist optics with a dose of economic pragmatism. He acknowledged that handing out repeated loan waivers is a symptom of deep-rooted agrarian distress, not a permanent cure. Pointing to the Rs 95,000 crore in aid currently being pumped into the agricultural sector by the state and central governments, Fadnavis outlined his administration’s shift toward an investment-driven agricultural model. He championed the success of schemes like ‘Jalyukt Shivar’ and ‘Magel Tyala Shettale’ (farm ponds on demand), claiming these initiatives have already empowered farmers to harvest multiple crops a year. Addressing the core issue of farming costs, he noted that the government already subsidises power to the tune of Rs 25,000 crore annually. By coupling this with a push for solar pumps and solar agricultural feeders, he promised that 100 percent of the state’s farmers would receive uninterrupted daytime electricity by the end of the year. Infra Dream Looking beyond immediate financial relief, the Chief Minister laid out a grandiose vision to permanently drought-proof Maharashtra’s most vulnerable regions. A staggering Rs 6 lakh crore infrastructure pipeline is being planned to ensure the next generation never witnesses a drought. Fadnavis detailed ambitious river-linking projects, including the Wainganga-Nalganga link, to divert excess floodwaters to parched regions. The state plans to construct 24 new dams and raise the height of 16 existing ones to ensure not a single district in Vidarbha faces water scarcity. Furthermore, massive engineering feats are on the drawing board to divert 200 TMC of floodwater from Western Maharashtra to Marathwada, and lift 275 TMC of wasted water from the Ulhas basin to quench the thirst of North Maharashtra and Marathwada. By marrying immediate, massive debt relief with long-term infrastructure promises, the Fadnavis administration is aggressively cementing its pro-farmer narrative. As the Yashwantrao Chavan auditorium echoed with whistles and cheers, it became highly evident that the government’s strategy of pairing mega populist waivers with big-ticket rural dreams is striking a powerful chord with the state’s agrarian voters.

#MeToo: Shilpa Shinde deflects gaze to 'Khan Sir

Mumbai: Under huge criticism from the entertainment industry after admitting that a sexual harassment allegation she levelled nearly a decade ago was false, actress-cum-politician Shilpa Shinde on Tuesday sought to redirect public focus towards Bihar-based educator Faisal Khan, popular as ‘Khan Sir’.


Facing a fierce backlash from industry bodies, fellow actors, male and female activists plus social media users, Shinde, 48, abruptly diverted the attention to ‘Khan Sir’, who was recently booked in connection with an alleged firing incident near his coaching institute in Patna.


In a post, Shinde urged those attacking her should instead “stand up and speak out for Khan Sir”, appealing to both supporters and critics to rally behind the popular educator.


Shinde’s new strategy surprised many as outrage continued to snowball over her startling admission made during a celebrity podcast last week, where she acknowledged that the sexual harassment allegations, she had levelled against television producer-director Sanjay Kohli were not genuine.


The controversy spread all over, drawing condemnation from multiple quarters, including New Delhi-based men’s rights group NCM India Council for Men Affairs, which called upon Mumbai Police to register a case against Shinde. Even television actresses Hina Khan and Pooja Bedi were among those who publicly castigated her remarks.


Stringent Action

The revelations exploded across the industry after the All Indian Cine Workers Association (AICWA) took serious note of her remarks and appealed to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to initiate stringent action if the allegations were found to have been deliberately false.


Unfazed by the criticism, Shinde remained defiant and hit back: “Always ready to say, ‘jo ukhadna hai ukhad lo’,” she declared, signalling that she was unconcerned by either public outrage or possible official action.


In its strong statement, AICWA said that Shinde’s confession on the podcast hosted by comedians Bharti Singh and Haarsh Limbachiyaa as “a matter of serious concern for the entire Bollywood and television industry”.


“A false sexual-harassment allegation can cause irreparable damage to a person’s reputation, family, children, career and mental well-being,” it added, warning that such accusations could permanently tarnish lives and devastate families.


AICWA further cautioned that fabricated allegations risk undermining genuine victims of workplace harassment by creating skepticism even around legitimate complaints and making it harder for survivors to obtain support, credibility and justice. It urged for a fair and thorough examination of the matter and if Shinde’s allegations are proven to have been knowingly false, to pursue appropriate legal action against the actress.


Though there are few takers for her claims and contentions, her latest stratagem to shift the narrative to ‘Khan Sir’ has also raised fresh criticism and doubts over her real intentions.


Few takers for Shilpa Shinde’s ping-pong
The controversy goes to 2016 when Shilpa Shinde dramatically exited the popular comedy serial “Bhabhiji Ghar Par Hain”, triggering one of the most high-profile sexual harassment disputes in the entertainment world. She accused producer Sanjay Kohli of alleged non-payment of dues and then sexual harassment, while the production house countered with allegations of contractual breaches.

The dispute remained in the media spotlight and in the courts for some time before both sides agreed for an out-of-court settlement after her pending payments were cleared.

Ironically, around a year ago, Shinde returned to the show, but after nearly ten years she dropped another bombshell, claiming she resorted to the sexual harassment bogey as she was purportedly under pressure to sign a restrictive contract preventing her from working with other production houses.

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