Sugar Barons rule Maharashtra.
The two reports, 'Govt let sugar prices rise' and 'Vikhe Patil's power supply co-op owes state Rs.2000 cr ' (DNA,25/3) confirm the popular impression that Maharashtra is ruled by the sugar barons. The first report states that the state government picked up only 46% of the allotted sugar quota in 2009-10 and that in 2008-09, only 5.72 lakh quintal out 18.54 lakh quintal, is a clear indication of the complicity of the government parties to help the sugar barons to profiteer at the cost of he common man, am admi.
That Mula Pravara Electric Co-op. Society Ltd.(MPECSL) promoted Padmashree Balasaheb Vikhe Patil, a senior Congress leader has been paying only Rs.3crore a month while receiving power supply worth Rs.20 crore for 200 MW from Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company (MSEDCL) is another scandal of the ruling dispensation. Your report clearly states that the recommendation of the Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC) to take over the assets of MPECSL in lieu of the dues of MSEDCL have been over-ruled by the political leaders is gross mis-rule by the government. No wonder Maharashtra continues to be power-deficit state. This is a fit case for a PIL to get justice for the people who suffer from power cuts and increased power tariff as even the opposition has failed to take up this issue.
It is reported that the loan waiver announced by the Central government prior to the general election benefited sugar farmers more than the cotton farmers.
Maharashtra government seems to be a government by the sugar barons, of the sugar barons and for the sugar barons !
March 25,2010.
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