While speaking at a virtual meeting of the governing council of Niti Aayog chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Maharashtra Chief Minister flagged climate change's impact on the farm sector and called for changes in the Centre's crop insurance scheme.
The Union government should frame certain criteria about investment and consideration should be given not only to the amount of money that is going to be invested but also to how much employment it would generate, Thakckeray said.
"We need to say 'Jai Kamgar' (victory to workers) apart from Jai Jawan and Jai Kisan. Industrial development should be counted in terms of employment it generates and not just the amount invested," he said.
Highlighting the impact of climate change on agriculture, he said farmers bear its maximum brunt.
"Our competition should be with other countries and not amongst ourselves," Thackeray added.
The Centre should seriously look into the issue of meagre compensation given to farmers by insurance companies, and the damage caused by unseasonal rains should also qualify for compensation, Thackeray said.
He called for changes in the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojna, saying the insurance firms are making huge profits but the farmers are not getting much relief. Excess profits of insurance companies should go back to the government, he said.
Some parts of Maharashtra experienced hailstorms and unseasonal rains recently which damaged standing crops, he pointed out.
The Centre should formulate a policy for agriculture which should factor in climate change, Thackeray said.
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