Maha CM Fadnavis seeks Rs 7,962 cr in central aid for drought relief

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis Friday met the principal secretary to the prime minister and sought early Central assistance to tackle drought in the state.

A statement from the chief minister's office (CMO) said Fadnavis met Nripendra Misra, Principal Secretary to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in New Delhi Friday morning and the state government had given a proposal of Rs 7,962.63 crore for drought relief.

The statement informed that a Central team was currently in Maharashtra to assess the drought situation.

Maharashtra received inadequate rainfall this monsoon and the government recently declared drought in 151 out of the 353 talukas in the state.

The CMO statement said Misra assured the state government of early assistance from the Centre. Fadnavis also demanded that Maharashtra be allotted six lakh more houses under the Pradhan Mantri Aawas Yojana (PMAY) as the state government had provided up to Rs 50,000 for purchase of plots of 500 square feet for the scheme.

Fadnavis requested for the early finalisation of draft CRZ (Coastal Regulation Zone) notification as well as that of eco-sensitive zones of Tungareshwar, Thane and Solapur's Great Indian Bustard Wildlife Sanctuary.

He also requested for deployment of e-vehicles in tiger safaris to promote eco-tourism in Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve as it could reduce man-animal conflicts and boost tourism, the statement said.

Other issues discussed included requirement of railway land requirement for the Dharavi redevelopment project and a HUDCO loan for Jalgaon Municipal Corporation, the statement informed.

A committee will be formed, comprising officials from the Railway Board as well as CEO, Dharavi Redevelopment in connection with the railway plot, it added.

(With inputs from agencies.)