Sharad Pawar, the former Union Agriculture Minister and leader of NCP-SP, is urging the Maharashtra government to act fast on the heavy rains and floods hitting farmers hard. He wants officials from revenue, agriculture, irrigation, and other departments in unaffected districts to rush in with extra manpower. This will speed up damage assessments and get relief flowing quickly to those in need.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Friday, Pawar shared his thoughts from past crises. “I’ve led Maharashtra through tough times like the Mumbai bomb blasts and the Latur earthquake,” he wrote. “The government’s teams shine in these moments, rebuilding lives and homes. We just need to back them up. I hope the state steps up to help flood victims rebuild stronger.”
Pawar stressed how the ongoing downpours have crushed farmers in Maharashtra, wiping out crops and killing livestock on a massive scale. But the damage goes beyond fields—it’s slamming small businesses, artisans, farm workers, and entire village communities, including the traditional Balutedar groups and backward classes.
Villages face big shortages of fuel and food right now, Pawar pointed out. He called for turning on the public distribution system immediately to help. Health risks are rising too, with possible disease outbreaks, so quick access to medical care is crucial. Kids’ education is taking a hit, and that needs fixing fast.
Still, Pawar warned that too many ministers and politicians swarming the flood-hit areas are slowing things down. Their visits are pulling government workers away from key tasks like assessing damage and delivering aid, just to handle protocols. This could stall relief efforts entirely.
He recalled his time as chief minister during the 1993 Latur earthquake. “I halted visits from leaders to keep assessments and relief on track,” Pawar said. “I even asked the Prime Minister and others to stay away for a few days.” Pawar hopes the current Maharashtra floods response learns from that lesson to prioritize people over politics.
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