PUNE: Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday appealed to the agitating farmers and independent MLA and former minister Bacchu Kadu, who is protesting in Nagpur, to come to the discussion table.
“We are open for talks. However, Kadu called me last night and said he is not ready for discussion,” the chief minister said, reiterating that it is not possible to get such demands met through agitations, and the only way out is through dialogue.
“Our top priority right now is to give direct help to the farmers affected by the recent spell of heavy rain,” he said, referring to the recent ₹31,628 crore relief package for farmers. “We are also committed to loan waiver, but it is more beneficial for banks,” he added.
The chief minister was in Pune to attend a programme organised by NITI Aayog for the manufacturing sector. Referring to the need for fast adaptation to technological changes, he stressed that the Indian manufacturing sector should lead the world. “NITI Aayog is looking towards Maharashtra to revolutionise this sector, and the Pune-Mumbai corridor is central to this plan,” he said.