<span style="color: #222222;">The Maharashtra Government stands firmly with the people affected due to drought, state revenue minister, Chandrakant Patil said today in state legislative council. Replying to a discussion on drought situation, Patil said, the government will pay the pending dues of the drinking water supply schemes affected in these areas. </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">He assured with the payment of the dues, the scheme will resume in these areas in next two days. He also said the government has authorised the block officers to provide water tankers in 24 hours where the demand is made.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Minister of state for finance, Deepak Kesarkar today informed the legislative council that it will implement the recommendations of the seventh pay commission from 1st January, 2019. Kesarkar said while replying to a query of Kapil Patil, representing the teachers' seat. </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Patil who demanded that the contractual workers should also get 21,000 rupees per month, to which, the minister said that even the contractual workers will be benefitted after the implementation of the seventh pay commission and they would get more than 20,000 rupees.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Women and Child Development Minister Pankaja Munde said due the implementation of various schemes by the state government, the ratio of child deaths have reduced by 60 per cent.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Three time Shiv Sena MLA Vijay Auti was unanimously elected Deputy Speaker of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly. Harshvardhan Sakpal of the Congress and Independent legislator Bacchu Kadu withdrew their nomination papers. The announcement of the election was made by Assembly Speaker Haribhau Bagde. </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Leader of the Opposition Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil escorted Auti to the seat of the Deputy Speaker which is next to that of the Leader of Opposition.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Fadnavis described Auti as a leader rooted to the ground who enjoys unstinted support from his constituents in Parner Assembly seat in Ahmednagar district. A debate on the final week of the winter session was still on in the legislative assembly.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Meanwhile, the proceeding of the legislative council was concluded sine die. Chairman of the Legislative Council Ramraje Naik Nimbalkar announced that the Budget session of the state legislature will be convened on 18th of February, 2019. </span><br />''