Maharashtra districts suffer for want of guardian ministers

MUMBAI: Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde expanded his cabinet 40 days after the government was formed, but a month after the portfolios were allocated, no guardian ministers were appointed for districts.

Maharashtra Congress leader Atul Londe said it has never happened in the history of the state that the districts have no guardian ministers. “The unconstitutional Shinde-Fadnavis government has hampered development in the state. We have never witnessed such a delay in cabinet expansion or appointment of guardian ministers. The District Planning Development Committee is chaired by the guardian minister and all local body presidents are its members. It has not been in operation for one month. Besides, the Shinde government stopped release of funds for all the sanctioned work from April. There is huge chaos at ground level,” Londe said.

NCP spokesperson Sanjay Tatkare said DPDC is a crucial body for the development of rural areas. “Contractors are waiting for funds to be released while  infrastructure works, and health and education projects are also getting hampered due to absence of DPDC,” he added.