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May have to prune budget to fund drought relief: Ajit
Union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar plans to meet the chief ministers of various states that are facing a drought-like situation, even as Maharashtra plans to make cuts in its budget to divert funds in order to tackle the crisis.
Union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar plans to meet the chief ministers of various states that are facing a drought-like situation, even as Maharashtra plans to make cuts in its budget to divert funds in order to tackle the crisis.
Speaking in Pune on Sunday, Pawar said this year’s drought appears to be a major challenge. “To discuss the situation I will meet Maharashtra’s chief minister on Wednesday. In the next two days, I will meet the CMs from Karnataka, Gujarat and Rajasthan.”
Pawar stated rain has been 36% to 42% deficient in the country so far. “We might have to plan on a big level. We have adequate foodgrains but scarce water. Reports from experts (about the next two months of the monsoon) are not so hopeful,” Pawar said.
Maharashtra’s deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar, who holds the finance portfolio, said: “The challenge is big and everyone in the state will have to spend money with utmost caution. Possibly, I might have to cut down this year’s Rs 45000 crore budget to divert some funds to tackle the drought situation.”
The deputy chief minister said only 22% sowing has been completed in the state so far, while water availability in the dams is 28% compared to 51% during the previous year.
While Vidarbha and parts of north Maharashtra have received good rainfall in the past weeks, other regions such as western Maharashtra, Marathwada and Konkan face grave water scarcity.
The water level at Ujani, the largest dam in the state with a capacity to store 112 TMC water, is an alarming -38 TMC.
