State may clear cotton growers' dues by Feb

State may clear cotton growers' dues by Feb
EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE

Mumbai, Feb 17: Help is finally at hand for the cash-strapped State which is in a quandary over non-payment of dues to cotton growers. Some leading financial institutions have agreed to help the State clear the pending dues before the end of February, revealed Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh today at a meet-the-press programme of the Marathi Patrakar Sangh.

``Certainly, we are facing a resource crunch, but I am sure, before the end of February, we will clear all the dues since a section of leading financial institutions have agreed to help the Cotton Growers Federation,'' Deshmukh said.

Deshmukh said of the Rs 3,340 crore, his Government had already paid Rs 2,112 crore, while the remaining amount would be paid before the end of February.

On the much-publicised scheme to provide free houses to the slumdwellers, Deshmukh said the Congress-led Democratic Front Government had set up a high-level committee headed by Housing Minister Rohidas Patil to review the entire scheme. ``At the moment, the concept initiated by the Centre is that unless there is financial participation by the beneficiaries, no such schemes should be undertaken. The committee will examine all the aspects and submit a report,'' he said.

Deshmukh declared that his Government would come with a comprehensive policy on sick and closed textile mills in the metropolis after his meeting with leaders of the trade unions as well as mill owners. ``Several options are there for the protection of the textile trade, but we will take a decision after a dialogue with both the parties,'' he added.

When his attention was drawn to the Supreme Court observations on the Angarki Cooperating Housing Society headed by Additional Chief Secretary (Home) V Ranganathan, who was then Revenue Secretary, Deshmukh said he was awaiting the certified copy of the verdict. ``I have been told that there no specific strictures against Ranganathan. However, we will wait till we get a certified copy of the order,'' he said.

On the proliferation of slums near the railway tracks, the Chief Minister said he had convened a high-level meeting with General Managers of both Central as well as Western Railways next week to tackle the situation.Launching a frontal attack on the Centre, Deshmukh said the Congress-led Democratic Front would not cooperate in any manner with the committee set by the centre to review the constitution. ``We will not hesitate to boycott the committee during its visit to Mumbai,'' he added.

On the inclusion of NCP leader P A Sangma in the review committee, Deshmukh said NCP president Sharad Pawar has already declared that he had joined it in his individual capacity.

Deshmukh said his Government was taking all possible steps to demolish Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) activities in Maharashtra. ``We will demolish them and there is absolutely no substance in the charges levelled by Opposition leaders Narayan Rane and Nitin Gadkari that a section of cabinet members have links with ISI,'' the Chief Minister added.