Though Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, has waived the loan of farmers to the tune of Rs 25,000 crore, he is committed to resolve the farmers’ woes permanently by increasing investment in agriculture. Talking to Senior Correspondent of Organiser Pramod Kumar in Mumbai on June 14, he discussed the initiatives taken for increasing public participation in governance. Excerpts:
What is the criteria of waving the loans of the farmers?
Initially, we decided to consider land holding as main condition, but later it was changed because the farmers in drought-affected areas were not going to be benefited adequately. Now, a joint committee has been formed to decide terms and conditions for it.
How much time will the Committee take to decide the terms and conditions?
The Committee will have consultations with all political parties. Details of account holders are being collected. The big challenge before us is that we don’t want to repeat the mistakes committed in 2008. Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has raised strong objections on the way loan waiving was then executed. Rich farmers grabbed the maximum benefits, while the poor farmers got nothing. Sometimes, the role of banks too is under questions in such matters. Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu has developed a very good mechanism by developing a software through National Informatics Centre (NIC). They have also created a good data base, curbing duplication, wrong accounts, etc. We want to follow that model.
Some people look at this decision as a populist measure. What do you say?
The demand got momentum after Uttar Pradesh took such a decision. I wanted that agitation should not turn violent. But I could see how some political parties indirectly tried to instigate violence. We were also under pressure after our neighbouring states, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, after they took the decision of loan waiving.
Do you think loan waiving is the ultimate measure to resolve the farmers’ woes?
No, not at all. Ultimate measure is increased investment in farming that we are doing. Last year we made capital investment of Rs 25,000 crore in agriculture. We are working to create one lakh farm ponds, one lakh wells and promote drip irrigation on large scale. In order to ensure hand to hand solution to various problems faced by farmers we are also running a sustainable agriculture project in 5,000 villages of Vidarbha and Marathwada regions with the help of World Health Organisation (WHO), which has provided 1 billion dollars for it.
Voluntary public participation in Jalyukta Shivar Yojana has extensively been applauded. What you are doing to continue that spirit?
It has emerged as a model. There are villages where over 500 people contributed in the projects without expecting anything in return. Such projects have received public contribution worth Rs 560 crore, the biggest voluntary contribution in the history of Maharashtra. Some celebrities like Nana Patekar and Amir Khan also played a good role. People have worked in 1,700 village for 50 days without expecting anything in exchange. There are villages, which have voluntarily dug 19 km canal. It will change the picture of Maharashtra in coming two years. n
