Cong's Chavan questions revision in Maha agri growth figures

Former Maharashtra chief minister and senior Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan raised doubts on the authenticity of figures quoted in the state's Economic Survey tabled in the legislature Monday.

He said the agricultural growth rate had been revised by "almost 12 per cent" in connection with the 2017-18 fiscal, a change he dubbed as "drastic".

"As per the Economic Survey of 2017-18, the estimated agriculture development rate was minus 8.3 per cent. But in the Economic Survey report 2018-19, this has been revised to 3.4 per cent. It is impossible to have such a big change of almost 12 per cent. The government should show proof of such drastic changes," Chavan said.

"In 2017-18, Kharif crop production had gone down 12 per cent, Rabi production reduced by 63 per cent. Then how come agriculture development rate was 3.4 per cent in 2017- 18," he questioned.