Gov'ts priority is to construct farm roads for farmers: Maha CM

Mumbai, July 11 (IANS) Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday said that the government's priority is the construction of farm roads for farmers to go to their farms and transport farm produce.

He said that the government is going to come up with a comprehensive scheme for the construction of farm roads by coordinating funds from various schemes in the state.

“This scheme will fulfil the demand of farmers for farm roads across the state,” he said.

He announced in the state assembly that to make this scheme comprehensive, a committee will be formed under the chairmanship of Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule, while replying to a calling attention motion moved by Abhimanyu Pawar regarding farm roads.

He said that the committee will craft a comprehensive plan for farm roads and submit its report of the measures to the government within a month.

“If there is skill-based work in making farm roads, it will be done in coordination with the related plans, and funds from other plans will be pooled to complete the farm roads. A decision will be taken after discussing with everyone about utilising 50 per cent of the funds from the 25-15 scheme for roads in villages for the construction of farm roads,” he added.

In his response, Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule said a system will be created to end appeals in farm road cases up to the sub-divisional officers. Action will be taken to include farmers in the allotment letter, hold Lok Adalats to resolve problems of farm roads, level the roads, survey existing occupation roads, and include these roads in the village map. Henceforth, farm roads will be made at least 12 feet wide. Action will be taken to number farm roads through the Settlement Commissioner.

“Regarding the construction of farm roads, he said he will hold discussions with the Employment Guarantee Scheme, Rural Development and Revenue Departments to verify the creation of a separate account head. Farm roads will be completed by implementing a time-bound programme,” he added.

Meanwhile, Water Resources (Godavari and Krishna Basin Development Corporation) Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil in the state assembly said that the state government has given top priority to providing water for irrigation to villages in drought-affected areas and has made a provision of Rs 20 crore for the Sina Madha project in the financial year 2025-2026. Minister Vikhe Patil gave this information while responding to a point of information raised by Member Abhijit Patil in this regard.

The minister said that in order to provide water to the areas deprived of irrigation, the government will consider providing water to these areas from overflowing water reservoirs. Also, a lift irrigation scheme has been proposed for two to three villages. Appropriate action will be taken after reviewing this scheme. He said that there is a plan to acquire about 955 hectares of land under the Sina Madha project. By the end of May 2025, about 710 hectares of area have been acquired, and compensation has been distributed to the affected project victims. A fund of Rs 26 crore has been made available for the approved land acquisition case under the Sina Madha project.

--IANS

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