Maharashtra government to provide financial aid to 865 villages on Karnataka border

Mumbai: Amid Karnataka Chief Minister Mr Basavaraj Bommai's claim on 40 villages from Jat taluka in Sangli district, as well as Solapur and Akkalkot cities, the Shinde Fadnavis government announced on Friday that the Chief Minister's Endowment Fund will provide financial assistance to social, educational, charitable, cultural, and semi-public institutions and organizations in 865 border villages.

In a statement on Friday, the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) said, ‘’Institutions and organizations situated in the Maharashtra Karnataka border area will get a lot of strength as it has been decided to provide financial assistance to social, educational, charitable, cultural, as well as semi-public institutions and organizations in 865 villages of this area through the Chief Minister's Charitable Endowment Fund. Financial aid will be given to Marathi speaking people and organizations in the border area as per the government resolution released on Thursday.’’

Government will provide Rs 10 crore for the CM's Charitable Endowment

It further added, the government will provide Rs 10 crore for the Chief Minister's Charitable Endowment for the next fiscal year 2023–24.

‘’There is a provision to provide financial assistance to various institutions and organizations in the state from the Chief Minister's Charitable Endowment Fund, and now 865 villages in the border areas have also been included in the new government decision,’’ said the CMO.

Despite the Karnataka government's stances, the state government's decision aims to send a strong message to the Marathi-speaking people of 865 villages that it is with them.

Resolution was issued after Maharashtra, opposition slam Bommai's claims

The government resolution was issued after the Maharashtra ruling and opposition parties slammed Bommai's claims. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced that the government won't give up even one village to Karnataka. Fadnavis claimed that Bommai was not above the Supreme Court.

The state government’s move came days after the CM announced that kin of “martyrs” in the struggle over the border dispute between Maharashtra and Karnataka will be given pensions like freedom fighters. The government has decided to extend the benefits of the CM Relief Fund to the residents of the border area.

‘’We are also planning to extend Mahatma Phule Jan Aarogya Scheme benefits to the people in this area. In addition, kin of those martyred during the border dispute will be paid pension along the line of freedom fighters,” said Shinde at the recent maiden meeting of the reconstituted high-power committee on the Karnataka-Maharashtra border dispute.

Published on: Friday, November 25, 2022, 08:42 PM IST