“To protect the interest of the depositors in the co-operative credit societies and co-operative banks in the state, the Government will come out with a long term policy within the next three months,” Governor C Vidyasagar Rao said in his address to the state legislature here yesterday.
Speaking on wide range of topics, the Governor said that after decontrol of sugar by the Central Government, it is being procured through open market for the public distribution system.
He said the state government will undertake long term measures to mitigate the adverse impacts of drought, specially in areas which are chronically drought prone.
The Water Policy will be reviewed keeping in mind the developments in Agriculture, Industries and the need of drinking water, he said.
Efficient fiscal planning based on completion of 75 per cent of the completed projects, particularly in districts with backlog, and an all out effort to complete 50 per cent of incomplete projects, including distribution systems by 2019 shall be the government’s priority, he said.
Other top priority includes, efforts towards forest and wild life sanctuaries conservation. Conservation of tigers, with Nagpur as Tiger Capital of India, rehabilitation of villagers from tiger reserves and promotion of wild life tourism around Tiger Reserves in Vidarbha and Sahyadri regions.
“In view of the vision of Prime Minister to develop hundred smart cities in the country, my Government will develop maximum smart cities in the State in the next five years,” he said.
On transportation, he said to improve mass transportation in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, an integrated approach will be adopted which will include a network of roads, waterways, metros and mono rails.
In order to lessen the burden on the existing rail and road transport systems, the government will create basic infrastructure and amenities to promote Water Transport Projects on the East and West coasts of Mumbai, Navi Mumbai and Konkan region.
The objective of ‘Housing for all: By 2022’ will be achieved through large scale construction of affordable houses through Government and semi-Government agencies like MHADA, MMRDA, CIDCO and Nagpur Improvement Trust, he said. (MORE) PTI VT ARS SG