Drought, Bhandara rape to dominate Maharashtra budget session

Issues like severe drought in rural parts, the alleged rape and murder of three minor sisters in Bhandara district, SIT on irrigation are expected to dominate the Budget session of Maharashtra Legislature, starting tomorrow.
Ajit Pawar, Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister, will present the budget on March 20.
The Leader of Opposition in the state Council Vinod Tawde said the opposition would also highlight the Home Department's inability to handle various law and order-related issues, during the session.
Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan said talks were on with the Karnataka government to get water from the Almatti dam to tackle the worsening drought situation in the state.

Water management expert Madhav Chitale, who heads the special investigation team (SIT) set up by the government over the alleged irrigation scam, has said he did not have the power to investigate officials. "We will raise this issue in the Legislature," Tawde said.
The opposition is also expected to raise the shocking case of crores of rupees collected from public transport commuters as "Child Nutrition Surcharge" and not being used for the purpose.
The issue of verbal spat between deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray, which led to clashes between their party workers in different parts of the state, is also likely to figure during the session.

The opposition is also preparing to raise issues like corruption cases against leaders, burgeoning debt burden, water and power shortages.