Mere govt compensation won’t help farmers: Fadnavis

Jalna (Mah): Farmers will have to change the crop pattern to adopt to the climate changes, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis today said, addressing a farmer’s rally here.

The state government would give thousands of crore of rupees in compensation (during drought, etc.,), but mere compensation wouldn’t solve the farmers’ problems, he said.

“To irrigate land, the government will construct five lakh farm-ponds,” he said, adding that the government’s water conservation scheme, ‘Jalyukt Shivar’, was proving to be a boon for the farmers in the face of drought.

“Jalyukt Shivar scheme is being implemented without any land acquisition,” he noted.

The government was going to set up 11 textile parks which would benefit the farmers and generate employment, he said, adding that a Seeds Park would be set up in Jalna.

Activists of the CPI showed red flags and shouted slogans against the government and the Chief Minister for “anti-farmer and anti-labour” policies during the speech.

Fadnavis stopped his speech and asked the audience not to heed the interrupters, calling the protest a stunt. The police detained some of the activists.