In view of the torrential and heavy rains in Marathwada and the rest of Maharashtra, the state government has sought an aid of Rs 7,000 crore from the Centre. Relief and Rehabilitation minister Vijay Wadettiwar said the rains will continue for another two to three days. This has caused severe damage to crops, roads and other properties.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi had recently announced Rs 1,000 crore relief package to Gujarat. Similarly, the Centre should give Rs 7,000 crore to Maharashtra, considering the damage caused due to heavy rains. “The MVA government will meet the Opposition to take them on board to pursue the demand for Central aid,” said Wadettiwar.
He said that heavy rainfall has damaged crops in Osmanabad, Nanded, Beed, Aurangabad, Latur, Hingoli and Parbhani. Soybean and sugarcane crops have been washed away due to waterlogging. “The district administration has been asked to assess the situation and take stock of the damages. The government wants to provide maximum aid to rain-hit farmers as the assistance permissible as per the existing criteria of National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) will be less.
Meanwhile, deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar reviewed the ground-level situation in Marathwada and madhya Maharashtra and spoke to Water Resources minister Jayant Patil and Social Justice minister Dhananjay Munde, who are currently visiting these areas. Pawar has directed Osmanabad district administration to relocate people stranded in floods. He added that a NDRF team, helicopter and boats have been deployed to rescue those stranded in Latur.
Meanwhile, the weather department has given a red alert for Palghar, Nashik, Aurangabad, Jalna and Jalgaon districts; while Mumbai, Pune, Thane, Raigad, Ratnagiri, Satara, Ahmednagar, Beed, Osmanabad, Latur, Parbhani, Hingoli, Nanded, Nandurbar and Dhule have been given an orange alert.
