NAVEGAON BANDH, April 21: The Shiv Sena-BJP alliance government in the State should give relief to the drought-hit farmers of Vidarbha by providing financial assistance of Rs 5,000 to each of the affected farmers besides exempting them from the payment of agricultural cess, loan instalments and power bills of electric pumps sets, demanded Republican Party of India (RPI) MP Jogendra Kawade.Replying to his felicitation, organised under the joint auspices of RPI and Congress activists at Azad square here, Kawade accused the State Government of making a fun of drought-hit farmers from all over Vidarbha by issuing cheques of Rs 10 each."The government should in fact come to the rescue of farmers by providing aid of Rs 5,000 to each of the affected farmers," he said. In addition, the farmers should be exempted from the payment of agricultural cess, loan instalments and power bills of pump sets, Kawade suggested. Congress leader Neelamchand Pugalia presided over the function.Earlier, Pugalia felicitatedKawade with a shawl and coconut on behalf of both Congress party and RPI. A large number of eminent persons who also felicitated Kawade include Paresh Ujawane, Hrishi Pastade, Keshav Gahane, Tikaram Dongarwar, Velhal Dongarwar, Hari Puram, Devaji Kumbhare, Gosavi, Bawane, Umesh Raut, Daji Shahare, Deva Lade, Bhima Shahare, Hira Sakhare, Sudam Gaekwad, Chandrakumar Lade, Mukund Meshram, Bhama Churhe and Sanjivkumar Badole.Describing the Shiv Sena alliance government in the State as `anti-farmer', Kawade said that this government had made a fun of Vidarbhite farmers by issuing cheques of Rs 10 each towards financial assistance to the affected farmers. The poor should be allowed to live and eat with self respect in the State. Otherwise, the poor would make the things difficult for the rulers and capitalists, he warned.Criticising the style of functioning of the BJP-led government at the centre, Kawade said that the Congress and RPI MPs were going to foil the plans of changing the Indian Constitution ofthis government.He assured the people of looking into the issues like development of Navegaon national park, reconsideration over Zudpi jungle problem, speedy completion of the construction work of Navodaya Vidyalaya, and registration of encroached land in the name of farmers besides solving the problems, being faced by the people of the area. Various men, women, organisations and activists submitted memorandum to Kawade on the occasion. Paresh Ujawane proposed a vote of thanks.
