Fadnavis takes on CM Thackeray on farmer's issue, says should give Rs 25k per hectare

Leader of the Opposition in Maharashtra Assembly Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday said Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray should now fulfil his own earlier demand of Rs 25,000 per hectare to farmers for crop damage. Fadnavis made the demand in the Legislative Assembly while congratulating senior Congress leader Nana Patole on being elected unopposed as the Speaker of the Lower House.

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"Uddhav Thackeray, as leader of his party (Shiv Sena), while touring the state (last month, when he was not the chief minister) demanded Rs 25,000 per hectare for farmers as assistance. I think he should ensure now that farmers get the assistance," Fadnavis said.

Speaking to reporters in Nagpur in night, Fadnavis said the BJP welcomes the state government's announcement to come up with a white paper on the status of the economy. Fadnavis demanded that the state government announce the immediate financial aid for farmers without waiting for the Central assurance, considering the need of the hour.

"We welcome the announcement of the white paper," he said. "Rather than waiting for the Centre's assistance, the Maharashtra governmentshould immediately announce Rs 25,000 per hectare support to farmers," the former chief minister said, adding that he had never waited for the Central funds in urgent circumstances when in power.

Fadnavis was welcomed by a large number of workers of the BJP after his arrival in Nagpur, his home town. Sena president Thackeray was on Thursday sworn in as chief minister, after his party came together with the NCP and Congress to form government in the state. The three parties forged an alliance after the Sena fell out with pre-poll ally BJP over sharing the chief ministerial post.

Last month, when a bitter tussle between the Sena and BJP over government formation was on, Thackeray toured some areas where farmers suffered crop damages due to unseasonal post-monsoon rains this year. He had dubbed the Rs 10,000 crore package announced by the then Fadnavis-led state government as inadequate and demanded that the affected farmers be given Rs 25,000 per hectare as compensation. 

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