Amid crisis, agriculture minister heads for Oz, NZ

Mumbai: State agriculture minister Pandurang Fundkar has landed in hot water over an official trip to Australia and New Zealand amidst the tur dal (pigeon pea) procurement crisis in state. Mr Fundkar, parliamentary affairs minister Girish Bapat, Assembly speaker Haribhau Bagade and council chairman Ramraje Naik Nimbalkar are on a 10-day tour to these countries for a commonwealth study tour.

Opposition parties have slammed Mr Fundkar for taking the trip, calling it ‘insensitive’ whereas the government backed his decision.  

As India is part of the commonwealth group of nations, members of every state legislature in the country get an opportunity to visit and study different parliamentary systems of commonwealth countries. This year, members of the Maharashtra legislature are visiting Australia and New Zealand for 10 days on a study tour.

Opposition leader Dhananjay Munde termed Mr Fundkar’s going on the trip as the ‘height of insensitivity.’ “We too were invited for this tour. But we didn’t go. We don’t oppose idea of going out for tur, but the agriculture minister should have stayed back and helped farmers,” said Mr Munde.

However, state finance minister Sudhir Mungantiwar backed Mr Fundkar. “We should not make allegations every now and then. If someone is going out to get knowledge, which would ultimately help state, then we should welcome it. It is also a part of his duty,” said Mr Mungantiwar.