Drought relief: State asks for Rs. 5,000cr, may get Rs. 2,547cr

The Centre's Empowered Group of Ministers (EGoM) on drought led by union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar on Wednesday asked the state administration to submit a revised drought proposal, after the government asked for Rs5,229 crore for drought relief.

The Centre's Empowered Group of Ministers (EGoM) on drought led by union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar on Wednesday asked the state administration to submit a revised drought proposal, after the government asked for Rs5,229 crore for drought relief.

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In a meeting with Pawar and rural development minister Jairam Ramesh, chief minister Prithviraj Chavan asked the Centre to provide Rs4,919 crore of the Rs5,229 crore that were required.

However, Pawar said that half of this plan included funds for long term measures such as completing irrigation projects in drought-prone talukas, which cannot come under the consideration of his EGoM. Both Pawar and Ramesh, however, have assured the state a favourable consideration for majority of the short term relief and drought mitigation measures to the tune of Rs2,547 crore.

“We discussed short term relief measures, certain relaxations of norms of central schemes and long term measures for drought-prone talukas,” Pawar said. “However, funds sought for completing irrigation projects cannot be cleared by this committee.”

He added that the Centre had already cleared Rs200 crore for drinking water facilities and Rs502 crore under the watershed management programme. Ramesh said another Rs167 crore would be given for improving drinking water supplies in drought-prone areas.

The package will only be approved once the state sends a formal memorandum to the Centre and a central team visits the drought-prone areas.

Chavan said that the thrust of the package was drought mitigation efforts.

“The monsoon is delayed by nearly 50 days but now it can get extended up to October or November. We want to ensure that this water gets saved and preserved through check dams, ponds and our Rabi crop gets saved," said Chavan.