Shiv Sena for spl financial package to drought-hit Maharashtra

Raising the issue in Rajya Sabha during Zero Hour, Bharatkumar Raut said the drought situation in Maharashtra was so grim that everyday "350 families from different parts of the state were taking refuge in Mumbai".

"Yesterday MPs from Maharashtra met the Prime Minister with the hope that government will announce some financial package but we were given assurance that government will look into it," he said demanding immediate relief package.

People in Vidarbha and other regions have to walk 10 km to fetch water and if the situation continues "sooner of later there would be riots for a drop of water," he feared.

Raut said people were selling their livestock as they were unable to feed them and sought immediate relief.

Almost entire opposition associated with the demand.

Raising another issue, Tarun Vijay (BJP) demanded that the Centre should enter into a dialogue with agitating citizens and Buddhist monks in Arunachal Pradesh who were opposing power projects in Tawang and warned that it could lead to a violent agitation if not handled properly.

He said people in Tawang were opposing power projects despite pacts for 30,000 MW schemes and demanded that the Centre should send a minister to dispel fears that China was inciting the local population there against the projects. (MORE)