Khadse launches all-out attack on government

NAGPUR: Ousted minister Eknath Khadse targeted his party's ministers on various issues on Monday inviting rare praises from the opposition benches by thumping of desks.
He flayed the government on about eight issues, right from agriculture pumps to shortage of veterinary doctors to land acquisition and bollworm attack, while accusing its ministers for being "negligent".

Khadese, who quit following string of allegations related to graft in land deal involving his wife and son-in-law, targeted energy minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule over failure to distribute over 11,000 agriculture pumps in Jalgaon district to the farmers. He informed that despite submission of demand note by the farmers from North Maharashtra region, over 17,000 such connections were pending since the last five years.

"When Vidarbha has zero pendency of pump connections, why our region has been ignored? You assured to provide over four lakh pumps to the farmers, which would run on solar energy. They (farmers) are in a crisis and need help. They're facing problems right from crop failure, bollworm attack to load shedding. They're unhappy with the government. Give them justice," he said.

In reply, Bawankule said his ministry planned to distribute 4.57 lakh pump connections of which 2.18 lakh were pending. He would be tabling a proposal before the cabinet of one transformer to one or two farmers to prevent power pilferage and frequent failures due to increase in load.

The former revenue minister then took up the issue of Muktaigiri Water Supply scheme, while asking the government to complete water supply works in 81 villages in the Muktainagar-Bodwad-Varangaon area of Jalgaon.

Water supply and sanitation minister Babanrao Lonikar replied that work orders for 23 water supply schemes in the state would be issued in 15 days. He said the proposal for waters works in 51 of these villages was approved on December 5 and work orders would be issued within eight days. He also assured that water supply work in 31 villages in Bhusawal taluka of Jalgaon will begin as soon.

Khadse then raised the issue of shortage of veterinary doctors in North Maharashtra and sought to know the status of a veterinary college sanctioned for Jalgaon during budget. "I gave 100 acres land free of cost, but the government doesn't want to set up the college in rural areas. There is 60% vacancy of qualified veterinary professionals," he said.

Khadse also pointed out towards deteriorating conditions of ashram schools in the state.