Centre must announce Rs 10 000 crore relief package for flood-hit Marathwada Uddhav

Mumbai, Sep 23 (PTI) Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday demanded that the Centre announce a relief package of Rs 10,000 crore for Marathwada, where rains have wreaked havoc over the last few days, killing eight people, damaging houses and crops.
Thackeray, in a statement, said once the government disburses the compensation into the bank accounts of affected persons, the lenders should not deduct loan instalments from the sum.
According to officials, eight people have died and hundreds of houses and crops on more than 33,000 hectares have been damaged, as rains pounded the drought-prone Marathwada region over the last four days.
The state cabinet reviewed the situation at a meeting in Mumbai, with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis assuring that the government was working to provide relief to farmers and other affected people.
Thackeray said, "The Centre should immediately announce an assistance package of Rs 10,000 crore for flood-hit Marathwada."
He said during the tenure of the Maha Vikas Aghadi government (November 2019-June 2022), heavy rains and drought-like situation had made farmers distressed, but the Centre had then provided very little help to them.
Time should not be wasted in procedures like 'panchanama' (spot assessment of damage) and studying rules pertaining to ex-gratia, the former CM maintained.
He said rabi (winter) crops are in danger and sought to know how will farmers recover from the impact of the natural disaster.
The former chief minister said after the compensation is deposited into the bank accounts of affected persons, banks should not deduct loan instalments from the sum, and instructions to this effect should be issued.
He further stated that rules regarding "wet drought" should be set aside while providing aid.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Fadnavis asked Thackeray not to politicise the flood situation in Marathwada.
"People don't expect politics during such a crisis. We are doing all that is needed to help people and farmers," the CM told reporters when asked about Thackeray's remarks on the government's "step-motherly treatment" to Marathwada.
"It is laughable that Thackeray should say this. Some parties want to indulge in politics," he charged.
To a question on demands that a wet drought be declared in the state, Fadnavis said, "It is not a question of wet drought. We are doing all that is needed as per the rules to provide relief."
He said compensations for house, crop damage and death of cattle will be provided separately as per standing orders.
Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde asked whether Thackeray did the same when he was CM.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)