The leader of opposition in Maharashtra Assembly, Ajit Pawar, on Thursday demanded that a "wet drought" be declared in the rain-affected districts of the state.
The NCP leader, who is touring the flood affected districts in southeast region of Vidarbha, also demanded that farmers whose crops have been damaged by heavy rains in different districts in the state - particularly Gadchiroli and Chandrapur - be paid Rs 75,000 per hectare as relief.
Pawar is on a four-day Vidarbha and Marathwada tour to assess the flood-hit regions of eastern Vidarbha and some areas of Marathwada. Citing his interaction with farmers, local politicians and villagers, Pawar said that crops on about 25,000 hectares in Gadchiroli alone have been damaged by the incessant rains.
"In view of the current situation in Gadchiroli, the state government should provide immediate assistance to the flood-hit people and farmers of the district," he said.
"So far, 12 people have died in the district due to floods... Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis should give importance to this and immediately declare wet drought," Pawar asserted, adding that the situation of people in tribal districts "was very pathetic".
Lashing out at the Shinde-led government, he said, "No relief measures were taken for flood-hit Gadchiroli as the new government has not appointed a guardian minister so far."
--IANS
joseph/shs
(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
You’ve hit your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Quarterly Starter
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Access to Exclusive Premium Stories Online
Over 30 behind the paywall stories daily, handpicked by our editors for subscribers


Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share


Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor


Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements


Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app