New Delhi, Oct 7 (IANS) During his two-day visit to Delhi, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and briefed him on the severe drought conditions prevailing in Maharashtra and the relief measures being undertaken by the state government, while requesting special financial assistance from the Central government.
Additionally, the Chief Minister held crucial discussions with Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh regarding the expansion of Nagpur Airport, paving the way for the acquisition of 27 acres of Defence land required for the project.
During his meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis handed over a copy of the advance proposal submitted by the state government to the Centre.
He pointed out that around 32 districts in the state are facing severe drought conditions, with nearly 80 per cent of the talukas severely affected.
To assess the ground reality, a Central team will visit various parts of Maharashtra from October 8 to 11.
Based on its physical inspection, the team will submit a fact-finding report.
Decisions regarding financial relief under the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) will be finalised on the basis of both the state’s proposal and the team’s assessment report.
He said Union Home Minister Amit Shah assured maximum Central assistance and affirmed that the Union government stands firmly behind Maharashtra.
Referring to his discussions with Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis clarified that, along with satellite imagery parameters, factors such as rainfall deficits, groundwater levels, crop damage and physical inspections would also be evaluated.
Even if certain talukas do not meet satellite imagery criteria, they will still be considered if they qualify under other parameters.
He further noted that the process of providing drought relief based on crop damage is already underway in around 20 talukas.
Since Central assistance may take time to arrive, the Chief Minister said the state government is preparing to provide immediate assistance to farmers through its own available resources.
Crop surveys have been completed in approximately 23,000 villages, and the remaining survey work is being carried out rapidly.
He emphasised that the state government aims to complete all formalities and release aid to farmers at the earliest.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis also met Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to resolve the land-allocation issue for Nagpur Airport’s new terminal building.
The required 27-acre plot is currently in the possession of the Indian Air Force (IAF).
The IAF has taken a positive stance on immediately transferring the land needed for the construction of the new terminal.
Construction on the remaining portion will be completed subsequently, after which that section will also be transferred.
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari joined the meeting through videoconferencing.
The Ministry of Defence has agreed to grant the necessary permissions regarding helicopter parking and operational adjustments in the IAF area to facilitate the movement of heavy construction machinery.
Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) will be drafted for this purpose.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said these developments have effectively cleared all major hurdles for the Nagpur Airport terminal project.
Commenting on the ongoing MPSC student protests, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that the state government has taken a positive stance on all five demands submitted by the student delegation.
The government has expressed readiness to conduct a judicial inquiry into the allegations against the Chairman of the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC).
Should any malpractice or misconduct be established in the inquiry, action would proceed under Article 317 of the Constitution, he added.
To enhance transparency in MPSC examinations, a committee headed by V. Radha has been established to suggest reforms after consulting students, professors, alumni and other stakeholders.
However, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis expressed disappointment over what he described as the political misuse of the protests instead of focusing on genuine student issues.
He commended the state police for handling the situation with restraint during the demonstrations and reiterated that student welfare remains the government’s highest priority.
–IANS
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