Gadchiroli: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis was non-committal about a separate state of Vidarbha today and said that any decision in this regard would be taken at an “appropriate time”.
Fadnavis was responding to a question on the BJP-led Maharashtra state government's policy on a separate state of Vidarbha during a press conference held at the collectorate here this afternoon.
It has been the BJP's policy to have smaller states. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's statement in Mumbai regarding a division of Maharashtra was misinterpreted, he said, adding that an “appropriate decision” regarding Vidarbha state would be taken at the “proper time”.
Creating an atmosphere of trust among the people and the administration as well as understanding problems of the district is the main objective of the tour, Fadnavis said.
Schemes of the central and the state governments would be taken to the grassroots level, while the administrative machinery would be strengthened so that lapses in process of implementation process are removed, he said.
The 50 per cent contribution of the Maharashtra state government for the Wadsa-Gadchiroli railway project would be released soon, he said.
He said that 19 per cent reservation would be given to other backward castes (OBCs) in the district in non-PESA (Panchayats Extension to Scheduled Areas Act) villages and discrepancies in the Governor's notification regarding recruitment would be reviewed, he said.
Details of PESA are being studied and a decision would be taken after reviewing the situation, he said.
Agreeing that admissions to hostels run by the social justice department could not take place due to technical problems, even as the academic session is about to close, the Chief Minister said that the issue has been discussed with the concerned minister, who has been asked to complete the admission process soon, on the basis of the merit list.
Vacant posts in the district would be filled up, but it is also necessary to think why these posts remained vacant for years together, he said.
He said that employees posted to Gadchiroli district feel that they are being punished and such a feeling should be removed.
The scope of forest-based projects would be increased while stress would be laid on skill development programmes and farmers would be given high-power solar pumps and Kolhapur type weirs, he said, adding that the tribal sub-plan's scope would also be expanded.
