Mumbai: The state govt will positively consider tribal women for the Ladki Bahin scheme who are unable to complete their KYC as well as new applicants, while women who have completed the process will be immediately paid the pending arrears, as per a govt release on Tuesday that cites CM
Devendra Fadnavis.
According to Ajit Navale, vice-president of Akhil Bharatiya Kisan Sabha (ABKS), govt said a positive decision will be taken on reinstating 8.1 million women from different sections who had been dropped from the scheme after they failed to complete their KYC.
ABKS suspended its massive two-day march to Mumbai from Akole at Shahapur after a 28-member delegation met Fadnavis and deputy CMs
Eknath Shinde and Sunetra Pawar as well as five cabinet ministers at a two-hour meeting at the Sahyadri state guesthouse. Govt has agreed to act upon the demands put forward by ABKS on behalf of farmers, agricultural labourers, adivasis, workers, women and working people.
“Govt gave a firm assurance that drought-affected farmers would receive assistance beyond the norms prescribed under the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) and assured us that the two pending instalments under the Namo Shetkari Mahasanman Nidhi scheme will be released.
Regarding the increase in incentive grant of Rs 50,000 for farmers who regularly repay their loans, the CM said the matter would be discussed with the loan waiver sub-committee and a positive decision taken. He also expressed a positive stance on reinstating the cancelled triggers under the crop insurance scheme from next year,” said Navale.
He said there was agreement on taking necessary legislative measures and issuing govt resolutions to address various tribal land claim settlement issues. The demands for providing water from Bhandardara dam to adivasi communities and scrapping the eco-sensitive zone were also discussed.
Police officials said over 7,000 farmers in 400 vehicles from more than 20 districts had joined the march. After reaching Igatpuri in Nashik district on Monday, the protesters proceeded through the old Kasara Ghat route towards Shahapur on Tuesday. Highway traffic police temporarily diverted vehicles from the ghat section to the new Kasara ghat highway to minimise inconvenience to commuters.
In another protest march, thousands of tribals from rural Thane, Palghar, Raigad, Nashik and Pune participated in Samvidhan Hakk Sangharsh Morcha led by Vivek Pandit of Shramjeevi Sanghatna demanding settlement of pending forest land claims, issuance of land titles to eligible tribals, acceptance of local evidence for birth registration, adequate drinking water facilities, quality education for children, among others. The protesters stopped outside Thane city while Sanghatna representatives separately met Fadnavis, along with his cabinet colleagues. The tribal protesters were likely to call off their march to Mantralaya following the meeting. Shinde was likely to address the protesters on the outskirts of Thane city late on Tuesday.
