Crop insurance and BDD revamp: Sena’s new weapons against BJP

The Sena has constantly criticised the BJP over its policies, but toned down its criticism after the alliance ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray and his son and Sena leader Aaditya Thackeray on Friday took on the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Central and state governments over the implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) and failure to implement a project to redevelop British-era Bombay Development Department (BDD) chawls, despite inaugurating it two years ago.

Speaking to reporters at his residence, ‘Matoshree’, on Friday, Thackeray demanded the Centre take back the funds lying with insurance companies and distribute it among farmers who have faced losses. (HT FILE)

With the elections around the corner, the Sena, which is part of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance, has launched an offensive against its ally.

The Sena has constantly criticised the BJP over its policies, but toned down its criticism after the alliance ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

Speaking to reporters at his residence, ‘Matoshree’, on Friday, Thackeray demanded the Centre take back the funds lying with insurance companies and distribute it among farmers who have faced losses.

“If the insurance companies are eating the crop insurance money meant for farmers, the Shiv Sena wants strict action to be taken against them. The government should look into it,” he said.

According to Thackeray, the insurance companies have got ₹2,188 crore. “The companies can’t earn profits on the money meant for farmers. Their investment in the scheme is 0 – 98% of the money comes from the government and 2% from farmers [as premiums],” he said.

The Sena chief said although the scheme is good and was brought in with “good intention”, its implementation is flawed. He said his MPs have met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and apprised him of the shortcomings of the scheme.

Thackeray had, in July, led a march against a private insurance company in Mumbai, demanding the pending claims be cleared in a fortnight. He had even called the PMFBY a “scam” which was being unearthed “slowly”.

Meanwhile, the Sena is miffed with the BJP for ignoring them, when chief minister Devendra Fadnavis constituted a high-powered committee to monitor the redevelopment of BDD chawls.

Aaditya, who went to the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority headquarters at Bandra to review various projects, said it was necessary to involve public representatives while implementing such a project. “After bhoomipujan, there has been no development on the project. People want new houses. We need to give them confidence. Residents have concerns, which need to be redressed,” he said.

The BDD chawls were constructed by the British between 1920 and 1925 in four places – Naigaum, Lower Parel, Sewri and Worli. Nearly a century later, these chawls are dilapidated.

The revamp may generate an additional 16,000 to 18,000 affordable houses, apart from rehabilitating the existing residents.

Thackeray also called for public thrashing of those who do not respect Veer Savarkar, a day after the student wing of the Congress claimed it blackened Savarkar’s bust in Delhi University.