200 Maha talukas facing scarcity-like conditions: Fadnavis

Around 200 talukas in Maharashtra are facing "scarcity-like" conditions and two senior ministers have been asked to submit a report on this issue, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said Tuesday.

He added that a decision to declare these talukas as scarcity-hit would be taken by October 31.

Talking to reporters after a ministerial meeting, Fadnavis said that state Revenue Minister Chandrakant Patil and Transport Minister Diwakar Raote have been entrusted with the task of reviewing the scarcity situation in these talukas and submitting a report to him.

"A decision of declaring the talukas as scarcity-hit will be taken by October 31. Later, a Central team will visit to review the situation and then a decision of declaring drought will be taken, since it (declaring drought) is in the Centre's domain," Fadnavis said.

He informed that inputs about the prevailing scarcity situation is being compiled for submission to the Union government.

The Maharashtra CM said that ministers have been asked to take stock of water storage in the state's dams and reservoirs and prepare a report.