NASHIK: Maharashtra Agriculture Minister Manikarao Kokte, who played a new controversy, ignited a new controversy as he referred to the government as a “beggar” on Tuesday, stating about a previous comment in Nashik.Kokate, who represents the Sinar Assembly constituency in Nashik, was interacting with the media individuals, and their previous comments were questioned that it was suggested that beggars also no longer accept 1 in alms, while the government provides crop insurance for that amount. He clarified, “The government does not give farmers 1 again, it takes 1 again for crop insurance. So who is the beggar here? The government is a beggar, not the farmer. My statement was misunderstood by the people.“The government has now changed the RE1 crop insurance scheme with the Pradhan Mantri Crop Insurance Scheme.Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis called Kokte’s comments “unfair”. Speaking in Gadchiroli, he said, “We have taken corrective measures in crop insurance scheme because we have seen insurance companies benefiting and not farmers. We have taken steps to invest Rs 5,000 crore every year in agriculture.”NCP-SCP MP and party executive president Supriya Sule also condemned Kokte’s comment in a post on X. “This united took the highest sacrifice by 105 martyrs in the struggle for Maharashtra and the immense contribution by the previous CMS and one to make people the most prosperous state in the country ‘Sule said, “There has never been an Agricultural Minister who has insensitively behave insensitive to farmers when a lot of burning issues. Portfolio should be controlled by an individual and sensitive to farmers.”
