Mumbai, Oct 27 — The Maharashtra Cabinet Sub Committee chaired by Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Tuesday decided that cases will be filed against rogue finance companies harassing the drought-hit farmers from 304 talukas for the recovery of loans.
"Microfinance and private finance companies harassing farmers during the drought period and driving them to suicide were issued a clear warning at the meeting. Following the incident in Nanded, the Chief Minister has ordered direct police complaints (cases) to be registered against officials and recovery agents of companies that mentally harass farmers," said Chandrashekhar Bawankule.
He further stated that with the severity of drought increasing in the state, the government has taken crucial steps for farmers and livestock.
To alleviate the fodder shortage across 304 drought-affected talukas, full authority for fodder procurement and cultivation has been granted to a 5-member committee chaired by the District Collectors.
Along with this, a key decision has been taken to directly provide funds from the District Planning Committee (DPC) to immediately restart rural piped water supply schemes that were shut down solely due to unpaid dues or lack of electricity connections.
To prevent the livestock fodder issue from turning grave, a 5-member committee headed by the District Collector has been formed. The Collector will have full authority regarding fodder procurement, local cultivation, or bringing supplies from other districts.
As per the government's new Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), dry fodder will be made available at Rs 12 per kg and green fodder at Rs 8 per kg. Fodder cultivation will take place using DPC funds on available lands belonging to the Forest, Revenue, and Water Resources departments. Additionally, abundant fodder from Sindhudurg and Ratnagiri will be diverted to drought-affected districts, said Minister Bawankule.
According to the minister, water supply schemes that have halted despite the availability of water, solely due to unpaid electricity bills or missing power connections, will be operationalised immediately using DPC funds.
This will curb wasteful expenditure on water tankers and directly supply drinking water to villagers. Income tax-paying farmers, government officials/employees, and public representatives have been excluded from the Rs 5,000 subsidy being credited to farmers' bank accounts ahead of Diwali. These strict criteria will be applied on the lines of loan waiver rules, he said.
The government will provide financial assistance to desilt lakes and dams and spread the silt across farmland. A subsidy of Rs 31 per cubic meter for desilting and Rs 35 per cubic meter for transporting it to fields will be provided. Furthermore, royalties will be fully waived if soil, murrum, or gravel from lakes are used for road construction work, said Minister Bawankule.
Minister Bawankule clarified that demands to declare drought have been received from Haveli, Maval, and Mulshi in Pune district, Hatkanangale in Kolhapur district, and parts of the Konkan region. A final decision regarding the inclusion of these new talukas in the drought-affected list will be taken in next Tuesday's meeting after receiving ground reports from the respective District Collectors.