NCP against the idea of separate agriculture budget

Mumbai, Feb 27 (PTI) The NCP today said it was opposed to a separate agriculture budget, as demanded by the State Agriculture Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil. "Adequate financial provisions are made for agriculture sector by the Finance ministry. Congress should first allow a separate agriculture budget at the Centre and then follow the pattern in the state," NCP spokesman Nawab Malik said. To a question that Leader of Opposition in Legislative Council Vinod Tawde has demanded a separate agriculture budget and written to the Chief Minister in this connection, Malik said the state cannot be governed on Tawde's suggestions. A proposal for a separate agriculture budget has been submitted to Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan. If it is accepted, Maharashtra will become the third state after Karnataka and Odisha to have a separate budget for agriculture. According to officials, a separate budget would eliminate duplicity of fund allocation. Nearly sixty per cent of the population in the state is dependent upon agriculture, but the budget of the state is rarely an agriculture-oriented one. "Besides, multiplicity of schemes result in delay in the funds reaching the actual beneficiaries," the official said. PTI MR DK HKS RYS