Why Democratic Front government again?

•      Respect for Democratic values & synchronization of secular forces

•      Fulfills aspiration of 'aam aadmi'

•      Ideating and initiating well-planned economic growth

•      Popularity within all strata of society – economic, social, religious

•       Thrust on social justice

Major Thrust & Issues in Focus

•      Agriculture & Rural Development

•      Benefits for Farmers

•      Employment

•      Health & Education

•      Water

•      Social Justice

•      Urban Development & Infrastructure

•      Pride of Maharashtra

Agriculture & Rural Development

•      Infertile land

–    30% subsidy to farmers to bring infertile land under cultivation

–    Plan to reclaim 30% of 32 Lakh hectares of infertile land

•      Increase of Rs 200 in the Cotton price under Monopoly Procurement Scheme to Rs 2,700

•      Reviving and restructuring Sugar Co-operatives

•      To mitigate over-dependence on rain-water farming….

  Encourage Agri-allied business – Animal Husbandry, Horticulture, Dairy Development by offering financial assistance

•      Encourage Agro Exports through

–    Developing transport, cargo and storage infrastructure

•      Expediting Krishna Irrigation Project

•      Computerization of land records

•      Grants to farmers to access modern irrigation research

•      Credit cards for farmers for timely availability of finance

•      Loans at 6% for purchase of seeds, fertilizers

Benefits to Farmers

•      Free Electricity for pumps up to 5HP from July 1, 2004

•      Dues and penal interest waived to extent of 59%

•      Protection from Private lenders

•      Soft loaning & Economic subsidies

Employment

•      Creation of 1 Cr jobs

–    Scope of EGS to be widened to marginal farmers

–    Pursuing Encouraging Foreign Direct Investment

–    Industrial Development Centres in Backward areas

–    Special schemes for small scale and cottage industries

•      Compensation for acquisition of land for industrial purpose

–    Job reservation for project displaced

–    12 % of developed land to be returned to original owners

Employment

•      Formation of separate IT ministry

•      Special Boards for Unorganized labour to be set up at district levels on the lines of Mathadi Labour Board

•      20 % reservation in government jobs for financially weak youth

•      Compulsory wage revision every 3 years, including for farm labour

Health & Education

•      Target 100 % literacy

–    Setting up of Task Force for drop-outs

–    Partnerships with NGOs to promote and improve quality of primary education

–    Adult education in every village

–    Focus on Establishing more ITIs

•      Separate scheme for Below Poverty Line students

•      Free medical treatment, medicines, food in govt hospital for those earning below Rs 1 lakh per annum

Health & Education

•      'Health for all' by 2005

•      Time bound plan to prevent infant & malnutrition deaths, specially in tribal areas

•      Provision of funds to arrest spread of AIDs and setting up of Guidance Centres at taluka levels

•      Specialty doctors to be available at taluka hospitals

•      Grants and Insurance for expensive treatment

Water

•      Establishment of Water Commission

–   New sources of water

•   Jungle Tanks, Village Tanks, Farm Tanks, Rain Water tanks to be encouraged  

–   Spread water literacy & conservation

•      Every Village to receive tap water in 5 years

Urban Development & Infrastructure

•      Creation of 'Mumbai Infrastructure Fund' to attract private financing for efficient infrastructure;initial corpus Rs 1500 cr

•      Setting up Housing Repair Boards for Nagpur, Nashik, Pune, Kolhapur etc and to protect old tenants

•      Special Task force to resolve urban issues including maintenance of roads, water supply, efficient public transport

Urban Development & Infrastructure

•      Incentives to Civic Bodies, who raise additional revenues by adopting innovative methods

•      Development works in 'C' class nagarparishads to be brought under EGS

•      Focus on Slum improvement and rehabilitation

Social Justice

•      Special Team for protection & security of Women

•      Rs 3000 p.m.hike in Honorarium to Rs 7000 p.m. for Freedom Fighters

•      33% reservation for women in all government jobs

•      Implement 'Equal Work Equal Pay' policy to eradicate gender discrimination

•      Availability of cheap and quick finance for Women Entrepreneurs

•      Facilitate Women participation in Civic bodies and panchayats

•      Reduction of Domicile period to 15 yrs for SC/ST/VJNT & OBC communities

•      Availability of Caste certificates at Taluka level

•      Ensuring financial assistance to backward communities

•      Execute Time-bound plan to clear employment backlog of SC/ST candidates

•      Establishment of Balmiki Safai Karmachari Arthik Mahamandal

•      Devdasi tradition to be banned by legislation

•      Setting up of Old age homes for senior citizens across Maharashtra

•      Adequate development funds to be made available to Maulana Azad Corporation for Minorities

•      CM to head Apex Body for executing 15-point programme for overall development of Minorities

•      Implementation of Srikrishna Commission in letter and spirit

•      Special Peace keeping force to maintain communal harmony

•      Govt officials to be made accountable in the event of communal outbreak

•      Special Cell to prevent encroachment of Aukaf lands

Regional Focus

•      Special Financial Initiatives for Vidarbha and other regions to clear budgetary backlog 

•      Financial package for overall development…

–    Vidarbha                Rs 777.95 crore    

–    North Maharashtra          Rs 287.96 crore

–    Marathwada                    Rs 588 crore

–    Konkan                           Rs 300 crore

–    Western Maharashtra      Rs 452.56 crore

Pride of Maharashtra

•      Shiv Chhatrapati Smarak, an international-class Memorial in honour of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in Arabian Sea on the lines of Vivekanand Smarak at Kanyakumari at a cost not less than Rs 100 crore

Press Release