Guardian minister reviews crop loss, water scarcity, school repairs

A prolonged dry spell has damaged kharif crops and led to water scarcity. Guardian Minister Pratap Sarnaik directed officials to act urgently on crop loss, water scarcity, dilapidated classrooms in Zilla Parishad schools, and MRI services at the district hospital. Sarnaik said work was underway to get relief to affected farmers, with assistance planned for the first week of October.

The district planning committee meeting was held on September 17 at the hall in Niyojan Bhavan, chaired by Guardian Minister Sarnaik. It was attended by Member of Parliament Omprakash Rajenimbalkar, MLA Ranajagjitsingh Patil, Collector Kirti Kiran Pujar, Zilla Parishad Chief Executive Officer Priyanvada Mhadadalkar, Superintendent of Police Ritu Khokhar and District Planning Officer Pundlik Godse.

Speaking on the rain deficit and the resulting crop damage and water shortage, Sarnaik said action was underway to provide necessary assistance to affected farmers. He also instructed officials and elected representatives to interact directly with farmers to understand their problems.

The Guardian Minister directed that repairs to dilapidated classrooms in Zilla Parishad schools be taken up on priority. He said funds would be made available through the district planning committee for repairing such classrooms so that students could study in a safe environment. MP Omprakash Rajenimbalkar also raised the issue of the poor condition of schools and suggested seeking funds for school repairs through corporate social responsibility (CSR) funding.

Sarnaik directed that patients should not face inconvenience over MRI examinations at the district hospital. He said a meeting should be held with the agency providing MRI services to address its pending payments, and that the health department and the government medical college should ensure serious patients are not deprived of MRI examinations.

The Guardian Minister instructed that funds given by the district planning committee to various agencies be spent within the stipulated time, and that sanctioned works be completed on time while maintaining quality. Collector Kirti Kiran Pujar said administrative approval for works sanctioned in 2026-27 was planned to be given by the end of September, and asked concerned agencies to submit the necessary proposals urgently.

Under the District Annual Plan 2026-27, a total outlay of Rs 570.53 crore has been approved across the General Plan, the Scheduled Caste Component Programme and the Tribal Sub-Plan Outside Area schemes. As of September 15, administrative approval had been given for works worth Rs 70.58 crore, Rs 16.91 crore had been disbursed, and Rs 12.57 crore had actually been spent, an expenditure rate of 2.20 percent.

Under the General Plan, against an outlay of Rs 494 crore, works worth Rs 66.23 crore have received administrative approval. Rs 13.01 crore has been disbursed and Rs 8.66 crore spent, an expenditure rate of 1.75 percent. For the Scheduled Caste Component Programme, against an outlay of Rs 74 crore, works worth Rs 3.21 crore were approved and the same amount disbursed and fully spent, an expenditure rate of 4.34 percent. For the Tribal Sub-Plan Outside Area schemes, against an approved outlay of Rs 2.53 crore, works worth Rs 1.14 crore were approved, Rs 69.38 lakh was disbursed and the entire amount spent, an expenditure rate of 27.42 percent.

The meeting approved the minutes of the previous district planning committee meeting held on May 1, 2026, and the compliance report on action taken on it. A detailed review of expenditure under the District Annual Plan as of September 15 was carried out, and District Planning Officer Pundlik Godse gave details of the plan's expenditure. Senior officials from various government agencies attended the meeting.