Maha LC: Oppn leader alleges corruption in state depts

Levelling a slew of graft charges against the BJP-led Maharashtra government, Leader of Opposition in Legislative Council Dhananjay Munde today alleged corruption was rampant in various state departments and sought resignation of their ministers in charge.
Participating in a debate under rule 260 in the council, NCP's Munde touched on a host of issues concerning civil supply, education, energy, agriculture and tribal development departments to buttress his point.
Hitting back, BJP's Shobhatai Fadnavis claimed that most of the scams dated back to the previous Congress-NCP regime.
Munde alleged that the education department ordered zilla parishad officials to purchase photographs of great leaders at the rate of Rs 1,395 per piece from National Consumer Co-operative Society (NCCS).

Claiming that NCCS was a "bogus" organisation, he said the same pictures could be sourced from the government press at much cheaper prices.
He further alleged that distribution of pulses involved huge corruption and accused the government of making false promises at a time when farmers were committing suicide.

"The government had announced last year a scheme to provide five lakh solar pumps for farmers. One year later, till date, the government has failed to install even one lakh solar pumps. The rates of the pumps are too high as compared to those in Gujarat," he said.
Munde said the state tribal development department was also involved in an alleged scholarship scam.

"Tribal minister is getting gifts of gold idols which cost Rs 60 lakh. The tribal minister and some management people have close relations," he alleged.
Countering Munde, Shobhatai Fadnavis said that her party (BJP) came to power just one year back and all the scams happened during the previous government's rule.
"The situation we are facing belongs to your curse of last 15 years," she said.