Mumbai: Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Monday urged members of parliament from Maharashtra to jointly take up host of issues pending with the Central government for an early solution. He announced a committee of MPs will soon be formed with Shiv Sena MP Arvind Sawant as coordinator to pursue issues with various departments of the central government.
Thackeray was addressing a maiden meeting with MPs ahead of the commencement of the budget session of the parliament from January 31. He suggested MPs to form subject-wise committees keeping aside party affiliations in a bid to put those issues in the parliament and also pursue with departments. CM discussed about 20 issues with MPs and sought their cooperation in taking them to the Centre.
Thackeray strongly appealed to the MPs to show unity in taking up the Maharashtra-Karnataka border issue especially to safeguard the Constitutional rights of the Marathi speaking people in the disputed border area. Besides, Thackeray asked MPs to insist that the Centre should implement the recommendations made in the report of minority commission and take an impartial stand in the court proceedings.
Thackeray's focus on the Maharashtra-Karnataka border issue comes close on the heels of partial cancellation of bus services after heightened tensions along the border between the two states.
Further, Thackeray also called upon MPs to take up issues with regard to improvement in the crop insurance scheme, early disbursement of central aid to assist farmers impacted due to untimely rains and hailstorm. He informed that of the Rs 15,000 crore demand, the centre has so far sanctioned Rs 110 crore for farmers assistance.
Thackeray also raised issues with regard to conferring the status of ''Classical Language'' to Marathi, rehabilitation and rejuvenation of 21 rivers, additional fund for BharatNet II, change in the name of Bombay High Court to Mumbai High Court, administrative approval for fishing harbours, diversion of forest land of Karnataka for Tillari hydro project, changes or amendments to the Kharland Development scheme in Coastal Zone Regulation, 2018 and compensation to the state under Goods and Services Tax.
