CAG report vindicates our stand: Gadkari

Nagpur, Apr 26 (UNI) The comments of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) that the two relief packages for the distressed farmers in Vidarbha had failed to benefit them directly, vindicated the opposition stand that these had been an exercise in futility, BJP Maharashtra unit president Nitin Gadkari said.

In a statement issued here today, Mr Gadkari said as soon as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's relief package was announced, his party had pointed out that it would only help banks managed by leaders of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) come out of the red.

The comments of the CAG, in its report tabled before the Legislative Assembly yesterday, was a slap on the face of the incumbent Democratic Front (DF) government in Maharashtra, he said.

The report was also concrete proof of the corrupt and insensitive functioning of the DF government, Mr Gadkari added.

It proved that the government was not a saviour of farmers, but was working against their interests, he stated.

In its report, the CAG said farmers' suicides in Vidarbha region of the state continued unabated despite the implementation of the special package, both by the Centre and the state government, with as many as 1,414 suicides reported in 2006-07.

The report also said 75 per cent of the respondents in a survey were not aware of the relief from illegal money-lenders and 82 per cent respondents were not aware about the helpline for farmers.

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