₹24,000 CR KEPT ASIDE FOR FARM LOAN WAIVERS, SAYS FADNAVIS
MUMBAI: The state government allocated ₹24,000 crore for 51 lakh farmers under the loan waiver scheme, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Shetkari Sanman Yojana (CSMSSY), chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Monday while interacting with farmers through ‘Lok Samwad’, a mobile video conferencing initiative started by him this month.
The state government had announced ₹34,020 crore loan waiver scheme in June 2017 that was to benefit 89 lakh farmers. The decision was taken following statewide protests from the distressed agrarian community. However, even after 19 months since the scheme was declared, only ₹16,982 crore was disbursed to 40.91 lakh farmers till December last year. The scheme is being delayed owing to the verification process and non-cooperation from the banks, an official from thestatecooperationdepartment said.
“The state government decided to provide relief to the distressed farmers by implementing the biggest loan-waiver scheme ever in the country. So far, the state government has allocated ₹24,000 crore for 51 lakh farmers under the scheme. In addition, the state has also paid a financial compensation of more than ₹15,000 crore to the farmers affected by natural calamities from 2014-15,” Fadnavis said during the interaction.
Fadnavis also stated that his government is committed to double the income of the farmers by 2022 and they are constantly working in that direction.
The CM also declared starting Maharashtra Agritech Program, under which the state government will track farming activities of all its farmers. It will help the government understand the difficulties faced by the agrarian community and provide remedies. It will be done with the help of a satellite, drones and on-the-ground verification. MUMBAI : The city is all set to get two multi-sports complexes – at Veera Desai Road in Andheri and Bhavdevi Garden in Dahisar – in the next few months.
While the construction of the Andheri sports complex will be completed by March, the Dahisar sports facility will be ready by May.
This is Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s first-ofits-kind project in the city. The Andheri complex has been built across a 49,000-sqm plot at an estimated cost of ₹23 crore.
With an area of 51,000sqm, the ₹22-crore Dahisar complex is the biggest in the city. “The Andheri
sports complex is 80% complete. We have completed 40-50% work on the Dahisar facility,” said a senior civic official, requesting anonymity.
The Andheri sports complex will have facilities for cricket, lawn tennis, football, kabaddi, kho-kho, basketball, volleyball and mallakhamb.
Along with an open gym, the Dahisar complex has lawn tennis court, cricket and football ground, kabaddi, kho-kho, basketball and volleyball courts. Citizens can avail of the facilities at a nominal fee, which is yet to be decided.
The sports complex will also have a dedicated play area for children. “We have ensured minimum construction to keep more open space for visitors. We have provided facilities that are not easily available,” said an official in charge of the project.
Vijay Singhal, additional municipal commissioner, said, “These are big projects that are expected to be completed by May. The sports complexes were planned, so common public could get easy access to the facilities without paying hefty fees.”