Fadnavis spends Diwali with drought-hit Nagpur farmers, lifts borewell ban till December 15

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis celebrated Diwali this year among farmers of Nagpur district. He stayed the night at Lohari Savanga village in Narkhed tehsil, where farmers are distressed by drought. He spoke to the farmers directly and listened to their troubles.

Under the irrigation wells scheme, wells have been sanctioned for 10 farmers of Lohari Savanga. The wells will give the farmers water through the year. The beneficiaries include Vimal Shamrao Khadga, Suman Rambhau Thapale, Ramchandra Madhukar Ghode, Meghnath Bhimrao Raut, Khushal Mahadev Barde, Dhanraj Sadashiv Vaidya, Tejrao Phandi, Sandhya Manohar Raut, Ramesh Champat Kale and Danish Khan Hanif Pathan.

The beneficiary farmers said it was their greatest support that the Chief Minister came to their village, heard their grief and directly gave them the benefit of the wells. A decision to build a water storage pond in the village was also announced during the visit.

Even though the first week of November has passed, there is no chill in the air and the strong sun during the day gives no relief. Despite this, Fadnavis went into the fields himself in the heat to see the condition of the crops. He told the farmers that he is not a Chief Minister who only sits in Mantralaya, but a companion who stands on the ground with farmers in distress.

With scanty rain, cotton and tur (pigeon pea) plants are drying up in the fields and farmers are deeply worried. The Chief Minister visited the fields of Baburao Kale of Kohli village and Dilip Sarode of Sonegaon in Kalmeshwar tehsil to assess the state of the crops. He assured that the necessary government help would be given to affected farmers immediately.

At Lohari Savanga, farmer Rambhau Balpande and his wife Arunatai hosted the Chief Minister like a member of the family. Their sons Pravin and Ajay and daughters-in-law Rani and Swati cooked the meal with their own hands and served him. It was the first Diwali of the family's seven-month-old granddaughter Narayani, which she spent with the Chief Minister. Her father Pravin expressed his joy and said that when she grows up, he will show her pictures of her first Diwali, celebrated with the Chief Minister.

In talks with representatives of local bodies, Fadnavis assured that the government would give full support to villages that help solve the problems of drinking water and fodder for cattle. Work on the sarpanches' suggestions and on water conservation issues will begin on priority.

On the incomplete projects under the Jal Jeevan Mission, the Chief Minister said some works had stalled for lack of adequate budget and are now being completed on priority. Villages where work on more than 75 tanks has been completed will get financial help immediately.

Given the present drought, the Chief Minister announced, as a special case, that the ban on digging borewells, for farming purposes only, is being lifted till December 15 to save crops and trees.

At a meeting with gram panchayat sarpanches, representatives raised the shortage of veterinary hospitals in the area. The Chief Minister directed the Chief Executive Officer of the Zilla Parishad to inquire immediately and take a decision.

At the same meeting, some women sarpanches complained that some people were posing as journalists and demanding money from them. Fadnavis took a firm stand and said those who demand money by blackmail would be put straight in jail. He also directed the police department to take strict action in the matter immediately.