NCP seeks crop loan waiver, speeding up dalit murder probe

An NCP delegation led by former Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar today met Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and sought waiver of crop loans and electricity bills of farmers affected by drought in Vidarbha and Marathwada regions.
The Sharad Pawar-led party also demanded expediting investigation into the murder of three members of a dalit family in Javkheda village of Ahmednagar district last month.
"Anguish among people is increasing day by day as there has been no headway in the investigation. The utmost need now is that the investigations into the murder case is speeded up. Once the accused are caught, the government must ensure that the trial is held in a fast-track court," Pawar told reporters after meeting Fadnavis at the latter's official residence 'Varsha' here.

The delegation included state unit NCP Chief Sunil Tatkare, ex-Speaker Dilip Walse Patil, former ministers Jayant Patil, Chhagan Bhujbal, Nawab Malik and Dhananjay Munde.
Malik said that NCP will raise issues of dalit killings, drought and welfare of affected farmers in upcoming Winter Session of the state legislature in Nagpur from next month.
Pawar said that drought conditions in Marathwada and Vidarbha districts have become "very severe now".

"We have demanded that the government take immediate steps to help people affected by the water scarcity. Through the memorandum that we have submitted to the CM, we have requested that the government completely waive off crop loans taken by them and also their electricity bills," he said.

The former Deputy CM said the government should declare Rs 50,000 per hectare as assistance for horticulture farmers.
"We have also asked the CM to start 150 new establishments through which the farmers can sell their cotton produce and we expect the government to assist those who are in dairy business and cotton growers," he said.