In this picture released by CMO Maharashtra, PM Narendra Modi reviews drought situation at a high-level meeting with Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis
In this picture released by CMO Maharashtra, PM Narendra Modi reviews drought situation at a high-level meeting with Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis
Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has demanded Rs 2,500 crore as a package for drought-prone Marathwada region of the state and Rs 7,000 crore to complete irrigation projects in suicide-prone Vidarbha region from the Centre. He put forth his demand before Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday during a review meeting held at New Delhi.
The Prime Minister chaired a high-level meeting on the drought and water scarcity situation in parts of Maharashtra. Initiating the discussion, Mr Modi stated that the Centre, states, local bodies, NGOs and citizens have to work together to resolve the problems posed by drought. He also called for focus on medium and long-term solutions for drought proofing.
Maharashtra is facing a drought crisis and to deal with these issues, Mr Fadnavis asked an aid of around Rs 10,000 crore from the BJP-led central government in the upcoming three years.
Briefing the media at Maharashtra Sadan in New Delhi later, Mr Fadnavis said that his government is “very thankful” to the Union government, which he said has shown its seriousness on the drought issue. He said that in order to deal with the drought crisis, the state government has asked Rs 7,500 crore for completion of irrigation projects in Marathwada and Vidarbha in the next three years, and a special package of Rs 2,500 crore for completing pending irrigation projects in the drought-prone Marathwada region.
“We have prepared a short-term plan of six weeks with the help of Government of India to bring relief in drought-hit districts. We have also discussed a long-term plan to give moisture security to farmers and reduce monsoon dependency,” Mr Fadnavis told reporters.
“Agriculture Ministry approved our proposal for drought mitigation to the World Bank and now department of economic affairs will take decision soon,” he said. He added that “this drought mitigation proposal for World Bank is being approved at a record speed by the Government of India and I am thankful for that”.
The state government has also requested to allocate funds for Gosikhurd project in 90:10 ratio, (with the Centre contributing 90% and the state contributing 10 %) as it wants to complete it in three years, the CM said. “We have also requested GoI to consider base price of 2014-15 for the 26 projects selected under Prime Minister Krishi Sinchai Yojana (PMKSY),” he said.
Mr Fadnavis said that out of total 1.36 crore farmers in the state, only 58 lakh are in the credit net, adding that the state plans to include 20 lakh more farmers in the credit system.
