Centre aid of Rs 1269 cr for drought-hit Maharashtra

MUMBAI: The Union government on Wednesday approved a central assistance of Rs 1269 crore for the drought hit Maharashtra against a demand of Rs 3200 crore that was made by the state government. The state government had made a demand of Rs 2000 crore as supplementary relief aid for the losses in the Kharif season and Rs 1200 crore was demanded for relief to the farmers who made losses during the rabi season last year.
The demand was raised under the National Disaster Relief Fund (NDRF). However, the union home minister Rajnath Singh approved a assistance of Rs.589.47 crore would be supplementary assistance for damage to the Kharif crop and Rs.679.54 crore for damage to the Rabi crop. The funds have been released on the basis of a report submitted by a central team , who had visited the worse drought affected areas of the state in May.