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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.

How a collector’s field visit pushes ideas

Indu Rani Jakhar charts a development vision including waterfalls to village pathways for Palghar during her extensive leg work

Palghar: A zipline soaring above lush valleys, a glass skywalk overlooking a majestic waterfall, homestays nestled in tribal villages, and roads connecting some of the district’s most remote hamlets—these are among the transformative ideas taking shape in Jawhar and Mokhada following an extensive field visit by Palghar District Collector Indu Rani Jakhar on Sunday.


Accompanied by Apoorva Basur, Assistant Collector and Project Officer, Integrated Tribal Development Project (ITDP), Jawhar, along with senior officials from the Forest Department, Public Works Department (PWD), Zilla Parishad, Women and Child Development Department, Revenue Department and other concerned agencies, Jakhar spent the day reviewing development projects, tourism infrastructure and public service initiatives across the two tribal talukas.


At Kasatwadi, the Collector reviewed the upcoming approximately Rs. 1.2 crore Two-Way Zipline project and emphasised that successful tourism extends beyond attractions to creating a complete visitor experience. She directed officials to provide sanitation facilities, seating arrangements, food services and other essential amenities while ensuring strict safety standards. The project is expected to become operational within the next month.


The visit then moved to Dabhosa Waterfall, where plans are underway for a Sky Walk Glass Bridge, with an approximate budget of Rs. two crore ‘Calling Dabhosa’ one of the district’s most valuable tourism assets, Jakhar instructed PWD officials to prepare a comprehensive development plan on a Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) model, incorporating parking facilities, ticket counters, waiting areas, food courts, gazebos, toilets and visitor guidance systems. She also suggested creating rest points and refreshment facilities for tourists descending to the waterfall.


Ground Reality

A field inspection of the unconnected Kogda-Khairmal road highlighted the region’s connectivity challenges. To assess the situation firsthand, Jakhar and the accompanying team trekked nearly four kilometres through difficult terrain to reach Khairmal village before proceeding to Gatepada.


Recognising the tourism potential of the area, she suggested converting an existing traditional tribal structure into a homestay facility to generate local employment and promote rural tourism. She also directed Zilla Parishad officials to repair a dilapidated government-owned Anganwadi building and shift the existing centre, currently operating from rented premises, into the renovated structure.


To improve connectivity, the Executive Engineer of PWD (Jawhar) was instructed to prepare and submit a proposal for a bridge on the Gatepada-Ayare route under the District Planning Committee.


Restoring Work

Reviewing water conservation structures constructed by the Forest Department, Jakhar directed officials to prioritise repairs and restoration of existing gabion and check dams before proposing new projects. Desilting and restoration work, she noted, would improve water storage capacity ahead of the monsoon and benefit local farmers.


Similar instructions were issued to the Minor Irrigation Department, Zilla Parishad and Water Conservation Department to focus on repairing and strengthening existing structures. She also proposed planning future bridge-cum-barrage projects to simultaneously improve water conservation and rural connectivity.


Bridging Gaps

In Mokhada, the Collector inaugurated a newly established Aadhaar and Maha e-Seva Centre within the Tehsil office premises. The facility is expected to make services such as Aadhaar enrolment, caste certificates, income certificates and domicile certificates more accessible to residents of remote tribal villages.


At Hanuman Point, one of Jawhar’s most visited tourist destinations, Jakhar stressed the importance of cleanliness and visitor management. She directed the municipal administration to improve sanitation, install proper signboards and strengthen waste management systems. Directions were also issued to address garbage accumulation across Jawhar town and implement a plastic-free campaign.


Acknowledging that several villages continue to face seasonal isolation during the monsoon, the Collector directed officials to prepare a comprehensive district-wide plan for unconnected roads. She also instructed authorities to prepare a tourism development plan for Bhopatgad, another site with significant tourism potential.


The final stop of the visit was Jawhar Camping at Dhaparpada, a community-led tourism initiative supported by the Tribal Development Department. Developed with assistance provided to a local self-help group, the project has begun attracting visitors from Mumbai, Nashik and Gujarat through online bookings.

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