CM helps RR Patil and Ajit Pawar score brownie points
Principal secretary Amitabh Rajan, incharge of state investment posted in Delhi, has written to Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh informing him that Maharashtra has managed to extract maximum funds from the Centre for state projects.
The fund allocation under important centrally assisted schemes for the first quarter of 2007-08 are as follows: Accelerated rural water supply programme Rs202 crore, schemes financed for central road fund Rs161.49 crore and accelerated irrigation benefit programmes Rs234.80 crore.
However, the state remains at the second position when it comes to release of funds under JNNURM projects at Rs78.92 crore, National Social Welfare Programmes Rs50.50 crore, Sampoorna Gramin Rozgar Yogna Rs28.20 crore and Swarna Gram Swarojgar Yojna Rs22.34 crore.
Interestingly, the disclosure of these statistics by the state government comes 48 hours after union rural development minister Suryakanta Patil attacked the state government for its laid back attitude. Citing an example she said, “In rural development there are so many projects which could be claimed by the state. The Centre is willing to provide funds. But I don’t see any initiative from the state ministers.”
The minister who represents NCP made these scathing remarks in the presence of the home minister RR Patil and water resources minister Ajit Pawar. Although she was applauded by the public, both the NCP ministers felt humiliated.
A senior minister who was present on the occasion told DNA, “If the union minister was so concerned about the state’s welfare, she should have discussed the issue at the party forum and informed us of various schemes. It is pointless to run down state ministers when you have not taken any initiative to help Maharashtra.”
The state ministers have appraised NCP president Sharad Pawar about the event. However, it was Deshmukh who came to the rescue of RR Patil and Ajit Pawar by providing the data to prove Suryakanta Patil wrong.k
