Will Maharashtra govt’s Rs 59,000 cr package transform the lives of farmers in drought-prone Marathwada?

A sizeable component of the package includes a revised administrative approval of Rs 13,677 crore for eleven irrigation projects. Its emphasis on making Marathwada drought-free through water linking and diverting floodwaters to the Godavari basin indicated the government’s eagerness to find a lasting solution to the water crisis in the rain shadow region.

Region dependent on farming activities

The region with eight districts – Sambhajinagar, Beed, Dharashiv, Nanded, Latur, Parbhani, Jalna and Hingoli – lags in industrial development. With 65 per cent of its population dependent on farming activities, a failed monsoon often proves fatal. Almost 78 per cent of the farmers in Maharashtra fall under the small and marginal farmers category. The three main crops in the region are cotton, soyabean and pulses.

While the state government’s financial package may hold promise for the future, it remains to be seen to what extent it will usher in a change in the lives and livelihoods of the farmers.

Till mid-September, the Marathwada region recorded a rainfall deficit of 40 per cent, leaving the water storage in its 964 dams at 32 per cent of its optimum capacity, data shows. This is way below the 78 per cent storage recorded during this period last year.

Speaking about the government’s financial package, Shetkari Sanghatana leader Shrikant Umrikar said it only appears lucrative. “They encompass big-ticket projects which serve the interest of contractors and politicians,” he said, pointing out that such packages defeat the stated objective, which is agricultural prosperity and better livelihood for farmers.

According to Umrikar, “The mainstay of Marathwada is cotton, soybean and tur (pulses). All these crops are rain-fed. They are adaptable to the drought conditions as these are not water intensive crops.” The mismatch, he explained, is the failure of successive governments and their mindset to control agriculture and its economics. Had the government opened markets and provided processing units based on crops cultivated in this dry region, the scenario would altogether be different, he said.

Citing an example, Umrikar said, “Farmers are not allowed to grow genetically modified maize. But GM Maize powder imported from other countries finds its way to the domestic Indian market at cheaper rates. Where is the even playing field? How should the farmers withstand the competition in the price war?”

The farmer leader also wondered why agro-industries found no mention in the government package. “Why are they not promoting processing units for pulses, cotton or soyabean?”

The region has been grappling with high farmer suicides for over two decades now. From 1972 to 2018, it witnessed several droughts. The last three monsoons had, however, brought major respite to the region.

Special Cabinet sessions

The special Cabinet session in Marathwada is also not new. It was former chief minister Vasantrao Naik who held first special Cabinet meeting in Aurangabad in the 1970s. Successive chief ministers including the late Vilasrao Deshmukh, A R Antulay, Sudhakarrao Naik, Manohar Joshi and Devendra Fadnavis also held special Cabinet meetings to provide sops for the region.

Seven years ago, then chief minister Fadnavis – leading the BJP-Shiv Sena (undivided) coalition – had convened a Cabinet meeting in Aurangabad. In the October 2016 meeting, the Fadnavis government announced a Rs 49,000 crore package, nearly 40 per cent of which was set aside for irrigation and water conservation projects.

The Rs 14,000 crore water linking projects of Damanganga-Vaitarana-Godavari, Damanganga-Ekdare-Godavari and Par-Godavari entail lifting the surplus floodwater from rivers and channelising it to the Godavari basin. This was conceptualised by Fadnavis in 2019, but with the change of guard in the state, the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government led by Uddhav Thackeray took over and stayed the projects. Even the Rs 15,000 crore Marathwada water grid project, scrapped by the MVA, has been revised.

Shinde said, “The state government has urged the Centre to help financially to expedite the Marathwada water grid project which will help in tackling the water crisis in the region.”

‘Package too populist to be true’

Noted economist and former member of the state planning board Prof H M Desarda said, “The Rs 59,000 crore package for the Marathwada region is too populist to be true.” These financial packages are lucrative on paper. It helps political parties generate goodwill. But such announcements don’t bring change in the lives of the poor and struggling farmers, which is unfortunate.

Prof Desarda said, “Due to the poor monsoon and failed crops, the people in villages need work and income. They do not need mega infrastructure projects. The focus should be on MNREGA.”

By holding one Cabinet meeting they may give a message to the people, he said, adding that if they are serious about addressing the root problems, it would require an altogether different approach. Unfortunately, “nobody wants to pause and reflect on real issues which will require concrete policies and reforms,” he said.

Marathwada’s significance in electoral politics

Marathwada is important when it comes to electoral politics. Out of the total 48 Lok Sabha seats, the region has eight. Out of the total 288 Assembly seats, 46 are in Marathwada.

In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the BJP had an electoral edge with four seats. Its then alliance partner Shiv Sena won three seats. One seat went to the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM). The Congress and NCP failed to win a single seat in this region.

Whereas, in the Assembly election, the BJP won 16 of the 46 seats, while the Shiv Sena bagged 12, the Congress and NCP got eight each, and two seats went to Independents.

Deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said, “The package for Marathwada region is not politically driven. Our government is sincere and committed to the economic empowerment of farmers. It is our endeavour to make Marathwada drought-free and ensure decent and sustainable livelihood for farmers.”

Opposition parties have, meanwhile, dismissed the package as an eyewash. State Congress president Nana Patole said, “They have compiled all the ongoing schemes and repackaged it to fool the people.