Rohit Pawar accuses Maharashtra govt of inflating farmer relief figures

NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar on Thursday lashed out at the Maharashtra government for allegedly misleading farmers by trumpeting inflated numbers for rain and flood assistance, a move he claims is aimed at gaining political favour ahead of local body elections.

Speaking to the media, the MLA from Karjat-Jamkhed also insisted the government should not sidestep debate on farmers’ distress by cutting short the upcoming winter legislative session scheduled for December, and blamed the administration for habitually prioritising optics over action.

In September, heavy rainfall and floods battered Marathwada and neighbouring areas, ravaging crops across 68.69 lakh hectares statewide. In response, the state government unveiled a relief package worth Rs 31,628 crore, covering crop damage, soil erosion, housing, cattle sheds, hospital treatment, ex gratia payments, and more.

But Pawar dismissed the announcement as 'vague and deceptive' and warned it would 'remain on paper' without real follow‑through. He demanded that the government declare a 'wet drought' for affected areas and provide robust aid rather than token measures.

“Farm labourers should be given Rs 26,000 per family for the next six months to survive,” he asserted, accusing the administration of reneging on its pledge of a farm loan waiver and camouflaging neglect under the guise of relief.

While the Central government is expected to contribute Rs 6,175 crore via the NDRF (National Disaster Response Fund), Pawar called on Maharashtra to allot an additional Rs 6,500 crore.

He proposed compensation of Rs 10,000 per hectare across 65 lakh hectares, bringing the total to roughly Rs 13,000 crore. For damaged wells, he argued that aid of Rs 1.5 lakh per well is justified, as the current offer of Rs 20,000–Rs 30,000 is grossly inadequate. He warned that farmers would never receive fair compensation unless the state delivered in earnest.

Pawar also rebuked current restrictions on the winter session: “When Devendra Fadnavis was leader of opposition, he demanded a three‑week session. Now that farmers are suffering, why should it be limited to just 10 days?”

He accused the government of inflating figures to mislead citizens just before the local body polls.

He also criticised the diversion of funds from the social justice department into the 'Ladki Bahin' scheme, arguing this new welfare scheme comes at the expense of Scheduled Caste communities dependent on departmental support for health and education. He contended the government was manipulating numbers for electoral gain.

With PTI inputs