Uddhav Thackeray when asked about separate meeting with Narendra Modi

'DIDN'T MEET NAWAZ SHARIF'

MUMBAI: Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday led a delegation of the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi government to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi to discuss around a dozen important pending issues concerning the state, officials said here.

To a question whether he met the PM separately, Thackeray shot back: "We may not be together politically... That doesn't mean we have severed our links. I didn't go to meet Nawaz Sharif. So there's nothing wrong if I met him (PM) privately."

He added that the delegation emerged satisfied with the outcome and are confident that the PM will take appropriate action on all the matters raised with him.

At the meeting, in which Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and PWD Minister Ashok Chavan were also present, Thackeray took up issues of Maratha quotas, the state's GST dues, Mumbai Metro carshed, damage due to the recent Cyclone Tauktae, crop insurance scheme for farmers, etc.

"We had a good discussion with the PM on various pending issues of the state The PM has given us a patient hearing. We are hopeful he will take a positive decision in the matter. I thank the PM," Uddhav Thackeray later told mediapersons at Maharashtra Sadan in the capital.

An official in Mumbai said that the CM-led delegation raised certain key issues with the PM pertaining to the Maratha reservations, quotas for Other Backward Classes in Panchayat elections, reservations for Backwards Classes in promotions, making available space at Kanjurmarg for the Mumbai Metro Car-shed, the pending GST dues to the state.

The delegation also sought a Crop Insurance Scheme on the lines of the Beed Model, clearance for a Bulk Drugs Park, changing the cost norms of NDRF for disaster relief, reimbursement of pending dues from the 14th Finance Commission for Panchayat Raj Sanstha and Urban Local, according status of a classical language for Marathi and decision on the 12 nominations for MLCs from the Governor's quota.

On financials, the state has sought Rs.24,306-crores due by way of GST reimbursement, Rs.1000-crore for the Bulk Drugs Park for which 250-acres land has been allotted near Dighi Port (Raigad), a Rs.5000-crore one-time grant to strengthen the infrastructure like retaining walls, underground power lines, shelters, etc on the state's coastal areas which have been devastated by cyclones for the past three years, and a total of Rs. 2,653-crore from the Finance Ministry towards 14th Finance Commission dues. (IANS)

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