Uddhav Thackeray Demands PM CARES Fund For Maharashtra Farmers' Debt Relief
Thackeray assured farmers of Shiv Sena (UBT)'s support, cautioning against suicide and promising protests if demands aren't met.
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Sep 25 (PTI) Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday said this was the right time to grant a loan waiver to farmers as he visited areas affected by floods in the Marathwada region of Maharashtra.
In a swipe at the Union government, he also said that money from the PM CARES Fund should be used to make the farmers in Maharashtra debt-free.
Heavy rains and swollen rivers have caused large-scale damage in Marathwada since September 20, claiming at least nine lives. Crops on more than 30,000 hectares were washed away due to the floods, as per the state government.
Speaking at Itkur of Dharashiv district, Thackeray said, "This a severe calamity. Every time (a calamity happens), Chief Minister (Devendra Fadnavis) talks about the right time (to offer help to farmers). When would be the right time? Are you going to consult a `panchang'? "This is the right time to waive the loans of farmers, like we did earlier," he said, referring to his tenure as chief minister from 2019 to 2022.
He also demanded that the farmers in the flood-affected areas should get an aid of Rs 50,000 per acre.
"Farmers are demanding Rs 50,000 per acre, because the top layer of soil in the fields has been washed off. It will take them 3 to 5 years to make the fields suitable for cultivation again," Thackeray said.
The Rs 2,215 crore aid announced by the state government is not enough as each farmer will barely get Rs 8,500 out of it, he said, asserting that farm loans must be waived.
He also appealed farmers not to resort to extreme measures such as suicide, saying the bad times too will pass.
Speaking in Latur earlier in the day, Thackeray said his party stands firmly with the farmers.
"Do not be disheartened and do not take any wrong step," he said.
Speaking in Beed, Thackeray targeted the Centre over the PM CARES Fund raised during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Referring to deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar's statement that the government was spending Rs 45,000 crore per year on the Ladki Bahin scheme, Thackeray asked whether its women beneficiaries can recover from the present calamity with Rs 1,500 per month given to them.
"I am showing them the way to get the money from the PM CARES Fund," Thackeray said, adding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should make the farmers in Maharashtra debt-free by spending money from this fund.
If banks issue notices for loan recovery, farmers should hand them over to the nearest branch of the Sena (UBT), he said.
"We will decide what to do with these notices... If farmers don't get a loan waiver, the Shiv Sena will take to the streets with the farmers," he added.
The Aam Aadmi Party government in Punjab has announced an aid of "nearly 50,000 rupees per hectare" for farmers, and Maharashtra should follow suit, Thackeray demanded.
(Disclaimer: This report has been published as part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. Apart from the headline, no editing has been done in the copy by ABP Live.)
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