Mumbai, August 16 (Agencies): While stressing that the government is focused on improving the lives of distraught farmers facing the agrarian crisis, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday said that he would transform Maharashtra into a ‘super-industrial state’ within the next few years.
“Our country is moving ahead on the path of development and Maharashtra will play an important role in the process. The climatic conditions, in the last few years, have caused distress among farmers. But I wanted to tell each and every farmer of Maharashtra that the government stands strongly with them during their difficult times,” Mr Fadnavis said.
He was speaking at the occasion of the 69th Independence Day after unfurling the tricolour at Mantralaya on Saturday.
“Farmers need electricity. I will ensure that every farmer has electricity by next year,” Mr Fadnavis declared. He added that the government has started providing rice at Rs 3 per kg and wheat for Rs 2 to almost 60 lakh farmers in the drought-affected regions of Marathwada and Vidarbha. Eight districts of Marathwada and six from Vidarbha have been badly affected by deficient rainfall.
Speaking about the achievements of the Maharashtra government, the CM said the state’s flagship scheme ‘Jalyukt Shivar Abhiyan’ (Water conservation and integrated management scheme) has already benefited around 6,000 villages in the state that are facing a water crisis. He then assured that the scheme would cover 20,000 villages within the next five years.
He further listed out the achievements saying that his government is trying to bring transparency in the system through Right to Services Act (RSA) and ‘Aaple Sarkar’ (The Maharashtra government’s website and application to address public grievances).
“I have been able to attract an investment of Rs 60,000 crore in only an eight-month tenure as the chief minister. This investment will ensure employment generation for around one lakh youths. However, we will not stop here. We will continue to attract more and more companies until there is an industrial revolution,” the CM said.
Mr Fadnavis further added, “Through skill development, we will ensure that the youth get work opportunities. We will convert the state into a super industrial state within the next few years.”
The chief minister also launched phase II of ‘Aaple Sarkar’, the grievance redressal web portal of the Maharashtra government. He stated that around 10,000 complaints were received on this portal in the last eight months. Of which 78 per cent were solved with a satisfaction rate of 84 per cent. The phase II of ‘Aaple Sarkar’ has been launched in six districts — Thane, Nashik, Pune, Aurangabad, Amravati and Nagpur. The first phase was launched on January 26, 2015. “Very soon, it will be launched in 30 districts of the state,” Mr Fadnavis said.