MUMBAI: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday met Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi and briefed him on the drought situation, seeking financial assistance from the Centre.
Fadnavis said drought had been declared in 265 tehsils and relief measures were being implemented. “I submitted a request on behalf of the state government in this regard,” he said, seeking assistance through the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF). Shah assured him that Maharashtra would receive maximum aid.
Fadnavis said Shah had asked a Central Government team to visit Maharashtra between October 8 and 11 to assess the situation on the ground. “The Central Government is firmly standing with Maharashtra in time of crisis,” he said, expressing gratitude for the assurance.
Earlier, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde discussed the drought with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said the Centre had assured all possible help. Shinde said the state government had asked banks to stop recovery of crop loans this year and restructure them so farmers could obtain loans for the Kharif season next year.
“Despite the drought crisis, the farmers of the state will not be allowed to have Diwali in the dark,” Shinde said, adding that Modi had spent an hour discussing the crisis despite his busy schedule. Shinde said farmers would not be left in the lurch. “Farmers are our focus. Instead of doing politics, everyone should work to uplift the farmers,” he said, adding that Shiv Sena would do “100 percent social work” in the crisis.
265 tehsils hit by crisis, relief measures on: CM
Fadnavis said drought had been declared in 265 tehsils and relief measures were being implemented. “I submitted a request on behalf of the state government in this regard,” he said, seeking assistance through the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF).
