The crisis of farmers in the state does not seem to have caught the attention of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Instead what caught his fancy is a dancing competition in Thailand.
An RTI filed by an activist has revealed that the Maharashtra CM approved Rs 8 lakh from CM relief fund for a government employee dance troupe that participated in a competition in Bangkok.
This approval was given at a time when the state was reeling from excessive drought. The RTI has revealed that the amount was given from the fund that is used only for those affected by natural disasters.
Activist Anil Galgali in his RTI, had sought information from the CM Relief Fund desk about the assistance provided by it to the Sachivalaya Gymkhana. But he was informed by the Public Information officer of the CM Relief Fund desk that Rs 8 lakh was assigned from the special fund.
The Gymkhana had sought aid to send its 15-member strong team of government employees to enable them to participate in a dance competition in Bangkok from December 26-30.
"Rs 8 lakh have been given to send some dancers to Bangkok. It was decided by the government that relief fund will be utilised only for the needy. CM Fadnavis is the president of that Gymkhana. This is misuse of position," Galgali claimed.
As many as 14,708 villages in Maharashtra are facing drought conditions where paisewari ('value of crops') is less than 50%, Agriculture Minister Eknath Khadse had said.
"This year, monsoon was less than 75 per cent in 189 talukas while paisewari in 14,708 villages is less than 50 per cent," Khadse had said. He said that the majority of villages (8,522) of the total 14,708, where drought is declared, fall under Aurangabad division.
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