Restructuring of statutory development board after 26 months

Aurangabad, July 2:

The term of Marathwada Statutory Development Board (MSDB), which was established in 1994 to eliminate the overall backlog in Marathwada, expired on April 30, 2020. The decision to extend the term of the board was delayed for 26 months. In the last cabinet meeting, it was decided to restructure the boards including Marathwada. Once the boards are constituted, the work related to backlog, education, agriculture and human development index in the division can get momentum.

The term of former chairman of the board and union Minister of State for Finance Dr Bhagwat Karad, along with Dr Ashok Belkhode, industrialist Mukund Kulkarni, BB Thombre, Krishna Lavhekar and engineer Shankar Nagre on the board ended on April 30. None of the proposals sent by this committee till 2020 have been approved by the government. All the BJP MLAs had written a letter to the then Chief Minister informing the government that there should be grants and powers for the board to get extension. The government was also asked to take a decision on the resolution passed by the board in the budget session.

What are the demands:

The members said that the division is lagging behind in terms of health index. The demands of the board should have a place in the budget. The division should get funding and 10 per cent fund should be reserved in DPDC. The State minister of finance should have the power to make provision for the division in consultation with the members of the board in the State budget. The board should have the power to eliminate backlogs with statutory powers.