Maha CM announces Rs 45,000 cr package for development of Marathwada

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Saturday announced a package of Rs 45,000 crore for the development of Marathwada region in the state. Apart from this, he also announced revised administrative sanctions for irrigation projects worth Rs 14,000 crore.

He made the announcements at a press conference here after a special meeting of the state cabinet. The state government held the cabinet meeting in the city on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the Marathwada Liberation Day, also known as Marathwada Mukti Sangram Din, celebrated on September 17 annually. Marathwada was once a part of the Nizam-ruled Hyderabad kingdom.

It was after a gap of seven years that a meeting of the state cabinet was held in Marathwada. The last such meeting was organised in the region in 2016.

The Marathwada region comprises eight districts - Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (previously known as Aurangabad), Dharashiv (previously known as Osmanabad), Jalna, Beed, Latur, Nanded, Hingoli and Parbhani. "A package of Rs 45,000 crore will be given for the development of Marathwada. Apart from this, revised administrative sanctions will be given to irrigation projects worth 14 thousand crore rupees for the region. This paves the way for bringing eight lakh hectares of land under irrigation," CM Shinde said. Deputy Chief Ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar were also present at the press conference along with some state ministers.

Meanwhile, Shinde rubbished the allegations levelled by some opposition leaders that the CM, his deputies and ministers were put up in five-star hotels in the city for the cabinet meeting. "All of us are staying in the government guest house," the CM clarified. Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole on Friday accused the state government of spending several crore rupees on the cabinet meeting and rubbing salt on the wounds of people affected by drought-like conditions in Marathwada. Leader of opposition in the assembly Vijay Wadettiwar also said that while Marathwada was reeling under drought-like conditions, five-star hotels were booked for the chief minister, the two deputy chief ministers, ministers and bureaucrats.