Used 'drought-like' in GR as govt not shying away from issue:

The Maharashtra government used the term "drought-like" instead of "scarcity" to describe the situation in 180 talukas of the state as it did not want to "shy away" from the issue, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said.

He was speaking Thursday at a farmers' meet organised by Maharashtra Minister of State for Agriculture Sadabhau Khot in Kolhapur district.

"Our government is sensitive to the issues of farmers. But why shy away from saying drought when the fact is most parts of the state are reeling under drought-like conditions. So, we changed a government resolution (GR) and declared drought-like situation instead of scarcity in 180 talukas," Fadnavis said.

He said the government, after declaring drought-like conditions in these 180 talukas, has begun steps like providing drinking water and waiving off arrears in loans, power bills, educational fees etc.

Prioritising work under the Employment Guarantee Scheme (EGS) has also begun in these areas, he said.

Lashing out at the Congress, Fadnavis said it cannot digest the fact that his government was doing so much for farmers.