Mumbai: Maharashtra Agriculture Minister Pandurang Fundkar, accompanied by fifteen lawmakers and officials from the legislative assembly, are on a two-week study tour of Australia and New Zealand to review how those countries handle farm loans.
The trip has drawn criticism as the state is experiencing a drought and there have been reports of farmer suicides.
The BJP government is Maharashtra has said it is a study tour and not a junket.
"This is not a junket. The Commonwealth Parliamentary Committee invites people from political parties to engage in dialogue every year. Taxpayers’ money has not been spent," said Shaina NC, BJP spokesperson.
She added that one should not try to equate this trip with the agrarian situation and the farmer suicides in Maharashtra.
"There are representatives from Congress, NCP, Shiv Sena and BJP in this group. Please don’t try and equate the agrarian situation and farmer suicides with this study tour," she said.
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