Mumbai, Jan 18: Bringing Maharashtra's economy back on the rails, tackling the prevailing drought-like situation in parts of the state and countering fundamentalist forces
would be uppermost in his list of challenges, chief minister Sushil Kumar Shinde said here today.
"The state is facing financial crisis and to provide
immediate succour to the people short term planning is
needed", Shinde said in his first interaction with journalists
here after the swearing-in ceremony.
However, "we cannot ignore long term planning", Shinde,
who had presented the state's budget nine times in a row,
said.
Asked how he would cope with the problem, Shinde merely
stated that "I am here with an open mind". He also recalled
that as a finance minister he had introduced zero-based budget
in the past but had discontinued the practice later.
Similarly, providing drinking water to drought-affected
people, tackling drought conditions and providing employment
in such areas would be uppermost in his mind, Shinde said.
To a query whether the over one-and-half-year time was
sufficient for him to achieve his goals, Shinde remarked
"three months are enough".
Shinde said he would be taking the cabinet meeting
tomorrow and has decided not to accept any public
felicitations in any parts of the state after taking over as
the chief minister.
He had a word of praise for his predecessor saying
"Vilasrao did a good job in difficult times".
Bureau Report
