BJP, Cong slam Kelkar committee report in Legislative Council

The Kelkar Committee report on developmental imbalance between the various regions of Maharashtra came under fire today in the Legislative Council from the ruling BJP and opposition Congress on various counts.
Initiating the discussion on the report, which was tabled in both houses of the state legislature last December, BJP MLC Shobha Fadnavis alleged that the recommendations made by the panel are skewed in favour of western Maharashtra and not for the parched regions of Vidarbha and Marathwada.
Earlier, the government decided to move the motion of discussion on the report in both Houses, following which Speaker Haribhau Bagade and pro-tem Chairman Prakash Gajbhiye moved the motion, respectively, in the Assembly and the Council.

"I am very disappointed with the recommendations of the committee and am not sure if it has done justice with the Vidarbha and Marathwada regions," Fadnavis said.
She said that the committee's recommendation to place talukas at the centre of development to remove regional imbalance will benefit only 44 talukas in western Maharashtra, which are affected by drought.
Fadnavis alleged that the committee has recommended allocation of Rs 1,798 crore (44 per cent) from the budgetary provisions to the 44 talukas to remove water deficiency.

"The committee has recommended to allocate Rs 2,520 crore (38.2 per cent) for old Malgujari lakes in east Vidarbha. It is not sufficient for the development of Vidarbha," she said.

Malguzari tanks were ponds made for water harvesting by the Malguzaars, who were zamindars in eastern Vidarbha two centuries ago. These tanks provided water for irrigation and also increased the availability of fish for local consumption.
Fadnavis said that comparing Vidarbha with western Maharashtra was "like a battle between a healthy boy and one suffering from malnutrition".
"I urge the panel's recommendations be amended to add western Vidarbha and allow it (to) develop equally. Otherwise, a healthy boy will became healthier whereas the malnourished one will suffer further," she said.
Congress also slammed the report, saying that its recommendations were beyond the parameters set by the governor.

Party MLC Manikrao Thakre alleged that Vijay Kelkar, who had headed the panel, overstepped the mandate given by the governor.
"Kelkar is over smart and he has recommended more than what he was actually assigned to. Is he superior to the governor? Who gave him the right to recommend allocations from budget, which only governor can do," Thakre said, adding that the report be scrapped immediately.