State releases Rs 300 cr for cotton growers

MUMBAI, MARCH 9: Following massive response to the Village blockade' agitation launched by the Shiv Sena and BJP, the Congress-led Democr...

MUMBAI, MARCH 9: Following massive response to the Village blockade’ agitation launched by the Shiv Sena and BJP, the Congress-led Democratic Front Government on Thursday released Rs 300 crore to the Maharashtra State Cooperative Cotton Growers Federation for payment to cotton growers.

“We have released Rs 300 crore from the contigency fund to the Federation so that it can make the payment to the cotton growers with immediate effect. So far a payment of Rs 2,792 crore has already been made to them,” a senior official said. He said to facilitate payment to the cotton growers, the contingency fund was first raised from Rs 150 crore to Rs 550 crore and subsequently to Rs 750 crore.

Both Shiv Sena and BJP had launched separate agitations to protest against the failure of the Government to make payment to the farmers, whose cotton has been procured under the Monopoly Cotton Procurement Scheme. It was also found that cheques given to the cotton growers could not be realised owing to lack of funds in the Federation’s account.

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Former chief minister Narayan Rane had undertaken a road blockade agitation at Jam in Wardha district, while former Minister and BJP leader Eknath Khadse, accompanied by more than a dozen BJP legislators staged a day long dharna at Jalgaon on Thursday. As part of the village blockade’ agitation, the workers of the Shiv Sena and BJP stopped the Cabinet members from entering villages, particularly in the Vidarbha and Marathwada region.

The agitated Shiv Sena workers deflated the tyres of at least two Cabinet members — Minister of State for Transport Gangadhar Gade and Minister of State for Public Works Vasudha Deshmukh in Amravati district.

Shiv Sena and BJP have declared that unless the entire payment is made, they will stall the ensuing Budget session of the State Legislature commencing from March 13. “Certainly, we will stall the proceedings if the payment is not made to the farmers,” Rane said.

Launching a frontal attack on the Vilasrao Deshmukh Government, Rane said on one hand, the Government was saying that it has not funds, while on the other hand, there is absolutely no cut in the expenditure incurred by the cabinet members. “If Government has no funds, it should mobilise additional resources, impose a complete ban on new expenditure and stop renovation of offices and bungalows of the Cabinet members. No such measures have been taken, on the contrary, the Government is purchasing a helicopter for Rs 25 crore from the contingency fund,” Rane said.

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Khadse said besides the cotton growers, the Government has ditched the onion growers too for obvious political reasons. “It was unfortunate that no steps have been taken to help the cotton and onion growers,” he said.