Take up flood relief at war-level, Pawar tells Maha govt

NCP president Sharad Pawar on Tuesday met Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis here and asked the government to take efforts at war-level to compensate and rehabilitate those hit by unprecedented floods in parts of Maharashtra.

Pawar also asked the state government to provide basic amenities at the earliest to flood-affected people in Kolhapur, Sangli, Satara and other areas.

"I requested the chief minister to take efforts at war-level to bring on track those hit by the unprecedented flood crisis, compensate them for losses, rehabilitate affected ones and provide basic amenities," Pawar said on Twitter after the meeting.

The former Union minister also hoped CM Fadnavis would address the concerns raised by him on priority and resolve them before the model code of conduct for the Maharashtra Assembly polls, due in September-October, comes into effect.

The NCP chief further said he had raised some issues on August 14 during his visit to flood-ravaged Kolhapur district and observed that the cabinet sub-committee had taken some policy decisions on those.

"However, some of the demands have been partially considered and there are some flaws. So, raised the concerns voiced by affected people in detail," Pawar said.

The NCP chief was accompanied at the meeting by the party's Maharashtra unit head Jayant Patil, MP Sunil Tatkare, senior leader Dilip Walse-Patil among others.

The Maharashtra government had on Monday announced a slew of measures like loan waiver for farmers, new houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) for those who lost their dwellings, and free food grains to flood-affected people.

Heavy rains and floods battered several areas of western Maharashtra and the Konkan region earlier this month, with Kolhapur and Sangli districts bearing the maximum brunt.

Fadnavis also said a committee will ascertain causes for the unprecedented floods and suggest measures to avoid their recurrence.