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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.

T20 League will strengthen Mumbai’s women cricketing structure

The Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) will usher in a new era for women’s cricket by holding the first-ever T20 Mumbai Women’s League, which will kickstart at the iconic Wankhede Stadium from June 1, Monday.

 

The inaugural T20 Mumbai Women’s League will feature three teams, SoBo Mumbai Falcons, Thane Sky Risers and Aakash Tigers Mumbai Western Suburbs.

 

In an exclusive interview with ‘The Perfect Voice’s representative Dev Dhurandhar,

Prof. Dr Unmesh Khanwilkar, MCA Secretary, spoke about the League, its goals, preparations and MCA’s vision of building an inclusive and professionally driven platform for talent development with this League. Excerpts:

 

What inspired MCA to launch the Women’s T20 Mumbai League?

With Indian women winning the 50-over World Cup last year, there has been a huge interest towards women’s cricket. The popularity of women’s cricket has also gone up tremendously. Thanks to this, the young cricket playing girls have now started aspiring to represent India or play in the WPL. In this context, we thought this is an ideal time to launch our own Women’s T20 League.


Mumbai has a rich and proud history in cricket. The MCA has always been a torch-bearer in Indian cricket. The T20 Mumbai League, played for men, is already in its fourth season. In women’s cricket too, Mumbai has a strong system with tournaments for various age groups, divisions and clubs. The Women’s T20 League should be seen as a welcome addition to this structure.

 

How important is this tournament in MCA’s long-term plan for women’s cricket in Mumbai?

The long-term plan is to strengthening Mumbai’s cricketing structure by creating a dedicated and competitive platform for women cricketers. We feel that the League will play a major role to realize this goal. The League will provide opportunities to several local club and grassroots players to showcase their talent. It also reflects the MCA’s commitment to building a sustainable pathway for women’s cricket, while creating opportunities for players to transition to higher levels of the game.


We are confident that this platform will play a pivotal role in identifying, nurturing and elevating the next generation of cricketers while building on Mumbai’s rich cricketing legacy.

 

Why was the decision taken to begin with only three teams in the inaugural edition?

We didn’t want to just add numbers. In fact, six parties had shown interest to buy teams in the inaugural Women’s League and a total of 363 players participated in the auction. But we decided to go for three teams because we wanted to ensure the best quality and competition in the League. Of course, this is just the beginning and the decision about increasing the number of teams in the League will be taken in due course.

 

Wouldn’t the League have helped Mumbai cricketers more, had it played before the WPL?

Taking into account its busy domestic schedule, the BCCI has allocated a specific window to the state associations for holding their local tournaments and we had to conduct the League within that timeframe. However, I am sure that the performances in the League will not go unnoticed and players will be rewarded for their performances in next year’s WPL as well as in the Indian team.


The advantage of holding the League at this time is we will see competitive cricket even at the fag end of the season. It will keep the players actively engaged throughout the season.

 

What gap in the current women’s domestic structure does this League aim to fill?

The League is expected to add more professionalism to women’s cricket in Mumbai. With franchisees running their teams, we hope that there will be specialized efforts to improve players’ performances as well as their overall development. While the money will give the girls financial security, it will also spur them to enhance their game. The live telecast of League matches is also expected to add the player appeal.

 

How will this league help young women cricketers from Mumbai reach higher levels like state, Women’s Premier League, or the Indian team?

Take the case of Ira Jadhav, who is being touted as a future star. (Ira grabbed attention after becoming the first Indian to score a triple century in U-19 cricket last year). She will get the chance to play with Sayali Satghare, who is playing with the Indian team. Senior players like Saima Thakore and Humairaa Kazi are also leading their teams. This will give the upcoming girls more opportunity to learn more from established players and improve their game. This experience will come in handy for them to achieve higher goals.

 

Do you expect the League to become a scouting ground for WPL franchises?

Definitely. Mumbai has always been a breeding ground for talented cricketers. So scouts and coaches of WPL franchises are bound to take notice of your good performances. The League will provide a platform to Mumbai girls to showcase their talent to these franchises. I would consider the League as a stepping stone to success for these girls.

 

What was the response from team owners and sponsors during the bidding process?

We received an encouraging response from team owners as six parties were interested in buying the teams. Sponsors also came forward in good numbers with Nuvama being the title sponsor. There are several associate sponsors too.

 

What are MCA’s expectations in terms of crowd attendance and fan engagement in the first season?

Mumbaikars are not only passionate about cricket, but they are also knowledgeable fans of the game. So we expect spectators in large numbers at the Wankhede Stadium during the League. The live telecast has also given fans more avenues to follow the League.


As a part of the fan engagement initiative, we have taken several measures to ensure watching the League matches at an iconic venue like Wankhede Stadium is a memorable experience.


We have formed a group of content creators and social media influencers in Mumbai to promote this League. At the stadium, there will be game zones, cultural activities for the spectators. So it will be a complete entertainment package for the fans.

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