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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 op Tiger was carried out by MPs

The breakaway group is scheduled to reconvene for a face-to-face meeting with Eknath Shinde today

Mumbai: In a major political upheaval, six Lok Sabha MPs from the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) have officially submitted a letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, expressing their intent to break away and merge with the rival faction led by Eknath Shinde.


The strategic move was executed through a highly coordinated, staggered series of arrivals in the national capital, followed by immediate departures to various destinations across the country to avoid immediate political fallout.


The covert operation began in the early hours of June 16 when Nagesh Patil Ashtikar arrived in Delhi from Nanded by flight at 1:30 AM, while fellow MPs Sanjay Deshmukh and Sanjay Bandu Jadhav took separate commercial flights from Nanded later that day.


They were followed shortly after by Eknath Shinde, who travelled from Mumbai via a detour through Jaipur to arrive around 3:00 AM. MP Omraje Nimbalkar landed at 4:30 AM from Pune. Bhausaheb Wakchaure opted for a private jet from Hyderabad to reach the capital and Sanjay Dina Patil completed the group's arrival late on June 16, accompanied by MLA Pratap Sarnaik. To maintain a low profile, all six lawmakers congregated and stayed at a hotel in Noida.


The formal process of splitting from the party took place on the morning of June 17 through two separate audiences with the Lok Sabha Speaker.


Omraje Nimbalkar held an initial meeting with Om Birla at approximately 7:00 AM, after which the remaining five MPs met with the Speaker at 10:20 AM to hand over a joint proposal signed by all six members.


The rebel faction's letter levelled serious allegations against their parent organization, claiming that the Shiv Sena (UBT) has strayed from its core ideological foundation. The MPs further accused senior leadership of attempting to merge the outfit into the Congress party, thereby necessitating their decision to resign.


The letter formally requested that their parliamentary seating arrangements be altered to align with Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena faction.


Immediately following their meetings at the Speaker's residence, the lawmakers quickly dispersed by air to diverse locations across India, effectively scattering before the news could trigger localized protests. Ashtikar flew to Chennai before proceeding to Tirupati for darshan, while Wakchaure boarded a flight to Varanasi.


Sanjay Deshmukh and Sanjay Jadhav travelled together to Ayodhya. Sanjay Dina Patil returned directly to Mumbai, and Omraje Nimbalkar flew back to Pune.


The breakaway group is scheduled to reconvene for a crucial face-to-face meeting with Eknath Shinde on June 20, where they are expected to officially release the full text of their resignation letter and disclose the precise details of their arrangement with the Speaker.


Who reached Delhi when?

Nagesh Patil Ashtikar

1:30 AM

Arrived via flight from Nanded


Eknath Shinde

3:00 AM

Arrived from Mumbai via a detour through Jaipur.


Omraje Nimbalkar

4:30 AM

Arrived via flight from Pune.


Deshmukh, Jadhav & Wakchaure

Daytime

Sanjay Deshmukh and Sanjay Bandu Jadhav took separate flights from Nanded, while Bhausaheb Wakchaure flew in on a private jet from Hyderabad.


Sanjay Dina Patil

Nighttime

Arrived in the capital accompanied by MLA Pratap Sarnaik.

 

Who went where after meeting  Birla?

MP

Destination

Nagesh Patil Ashtikar

Chennai (proceeded to Tirupati for darshan)

Bhausaheb Wakchaure

Varanasi

Sanjay Deshmukh & Sanjay Bandu Jadhav

Ayodhya

Sanjay Dina Patil

Mumbai

Omraje Nimbalkar

Pune


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