Maharashtra’s Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray announced on Friday a package of 10 billion rupees for flood-affected areas in the central and western parts of the state.
The CM has earmarked Rs 5.5 billion for one-time cash relief to farmers to cover their crop losses due to the heavy rains that the state received last week.
Crops over 10 lakh hectares (ha) were destroyed by the torrential downpour in more than 10 districts of the state.
CM Thackeray announced the aid package after holding a review meeting with his Cabinet colleagues.
He also criticized the government of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) led by the Bharatiya Janata Party for its delay in releasing Rs 38,000 crore, which is due to the state’s compensation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) and the refund of taxes. for the current fiscal year (2020-21).
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Thackeray said the government would have announced a larger aid package for flood-affected areas had it not been for the financial crisis induced by the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) that has hit the state treasury.
“The package announced on Friday is the largest natural calamity relief package in the state. We have increased the amount of relief to Rs 10,000 and Rs 25,000 per hectare for the loss of crops and horticultural crops on irrigated and non-irrigated land respectively. Relief will come to farmers before Diwali (November 14), ”said the CM.
The relief for each hectare has increased from 6,800 to 10,000 and from Rs 10,000 to 25,000.
The CM said that the respective district administrations have completed a timely assessment of the losses incurred due to off-season rains.
He said the state government would ensure that the aid package reaches farmers affected by the floods as soon as possible.
Out of the 10 billion rupee package, 5.5 billion rupees are earmarked for farmers’ relief for crop failure, 2.365 billion rupees for damage to roads and bridges, 1 billion rupees for destruction of rural roads and disruption of the supply of Water, Rs 300 crore, Rs 239 crore and Rs 102 crore are allocated for urban areas, energy and resource schemes respectively.
Solapur, Sangli, Satara in western Maharashtra and Osmanabad, Latur, Beed and Parbhani in central parts of the state have suffered massive losses due to the off-season rains last week.
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