Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on September 16 announced a comprehensive package of ₹45,000 crore for the development of the drought-affected Marathwada region in the State.
The decision to implement various projects was taken during the first Cabinet meeting held in Marathwada’s Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, formerly known as Aurangabad, after a gap of seven years to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Marathwada Mukti Sangram (Marathwada freedom struggle).
The region, consisting of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Nanded, Latur, Jalna, Beed, Parbhani, Dharashiv (formerly known as Osmanabad), and Hingoli districts, had been liberated from Nizam’s rule by the Indian forces on September 17, 1948. The last such meeting was organised in the region in 2016.
Addressing the media following the special State Cabinet meeting co-chaired by Deputy Chief Ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, Mr. Shinde also announced revised administrative sanctions for irrigation projects worth ₹14,000 crore.
“A package of ₹45,000 crore will be given for the development of Marathwada. Apart from this, revised administrative sanctions will be given to irrigation projects worth ₹14,000 crore for the region. This paves the way for bringing eight lakh hectares of land under irrigation,” he said.
Meanwhile, Shinde rubbished the allegations levelled by some Opposition leaders that the CM, his deputies and Ministers were put up in five-star hotels in the city for the Cabinet meeting. “All of us are staying in the government guest house,” Mr. Shinde said.
On Friday, Maharashtra Congress Committee chief Nana Patole accused the Shinde-government of spending several crore rupees on the Cabinet meeting and rubbing salt on the wounds of people affected by drought-like conditions in Marathwada. Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Vijay Wadettiwar also said that while Marathwada was reeling under drought-like conditions, five-star hotels were booked for the Chief Minister, the two Deputy Chief Ministers, Ministers and bureaucrats.
Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Aaditya Thackeray said that the current dispensation has done nothing for the people except for giving false assurances and the government would make many announcements for the Marathwada region but will implement it.
Earlier in the day, the Chief Minister reiterated his ambition to achieve a $1 trillion State economy with the country aiming to achieve a $5 trillion economy. Mr. Fadnavis hit out at the Opposition parties and asked what they did for the Marathwada region in the State when they were in power for two-and-a-half years.
