Maharashtra Chief Minister Seeks Central Aid Amid Severe Drought Conditions
Maharashtras CM Devendra Fadnavis discusses severe drought and requests financial assistance from the central government during his Delhi visit.
New Delhi, October 7 (Daily Kiran) : During a two-day visit to Delhi, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis met with Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday to discuss the severe drought affecting the state. He informed Shah about the ongoing relief measures and requested special financial assistance from the central government.
Fadnavis also held discussions with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh regarding the expansion of Nagpur Airport, facilitating the acquisition of 27 acres of defense land necessary for the project.
In his meeting with Amit Shah, Fadnavis presented a copy of the advance proposal submitted by the state government. He highlighted that nearly 32 districts in Maharashtra are grappling with severe drought, with about 80 percent of the talukas significantly impacted.
To assess the ground situation, a central team will visit various parts of Maharashtra from October 8 to 11. Based on their physical inspection, the team will prepare a fact-finding report. Decisions on financial aid from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) will be finalized based on the state’s proposal and the team’s evaluation report.
Amit Shah assured Fadnavis of maximum central assistance, confirming that the central government stands firmly with Maharashtra.
Fadnavis also mentioned his discussions with Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, stating that factors such as satellite imagery, rainfall deficiency, groundwater levels, crop damage, and physical inspections will be evaluated. Even if some talukas do not meet satellite imagery criteria, they will still be considered based on other parameters.
The process of providing drought relief based on crop damage is already underway in about 20 talukas. Recognizing that central assistance might take time, Fadnavis indicated that the state government is preparing to offer immediate support to farmers using available resources.
Crop surveys have been completed in approximately 23,000 villages, with remaining surveys being expedited. He emphasized that the state government aims to disburse aid to farmers as soon as possible by completing all necessary formalities.
Fadnavis also met with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to resolve land allocation issues for the new terminal building at Nagpur Airport.
