Department also without secretary for three and a half months

Even as the loss of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in three Hindi heartland States is attributed to rural distress and agrarian crisis, the ruling party in Maharashtra seems to be learning no lesson as the State’s Agriculture Department has been functioning without an independent minister for over six months now. The department also does not have a full-time secretary for three and half months now.

State agriculture minister and senior BJP leader Pandurang Phundkar passed away on May 31. Ever since his death, Revenue Minister Chandrakant Patil is handling the additional charge of the department. Amid rumours of State Cabinet expansion, the party has not appointed an independent minister for this department.

Similarly, agriculture department secretary Bijay Kumar retired from his position in August. Ever since the department’s additional charge is being handled by Eknath Dawale, secretary, Water Conservation and Employment Guarantee Scheme (EGS). The government is yet to appoint a full-time secretary for the agriculture department, one of the most crucial in the upcoming general and Assembly elections.

“Both the departments are working very well. None of the schemes are being derailed, no funding has been stopped. It is true that the department does not have an independent minister and secretary. But there has been no dearth of funding for farmer-related projects,” said a senior minister. When asked about the cabinet expansion or re-division of cabinet portfolios, he refused to comment saying the Chief Minister has the authority to take the call.

Maharashtra was in the middle of controversy recently after a farmer named Sanjay Sathe sent ₹1,064 earned from selling onions to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to highlight the low returns on the crop. Following record-break onion production, farmers have been complaining of low returns on the sale of their produce. Up to July, the State has recorded 1,417 farmer suicides. Despite the Chief Minister’s assurances, the farm loan waiver scheme announced in June 2017, is yet to reach its target.

“This government is not serious about the agrarian sector and the 50% of the population which is dependent on farm sector. It is shameful to not have an independent minister and secretary for this department,” said Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant.