Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday appealed to PM Narendra Modi to provide substantial assistance from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) for farmers affected by heavy rains and floods across the state.
Speaking to reporters after an hour-long meeting with PM Modi in New Delhi, Fadnavis said he had submitted a memorandum. The memorandum outlined the flood situation and crop damage. “I have requested the Prime Minister to provide substantial help through the NDRF,” he said.
PM Modi Assures Support
Fadnavis said PM Modi responded positively and assured that the Central government would take necessary action once it received a detailed proposal from the state government. “The Prime Minister promised to provide every possible help to the state,” Fadnavis added.
CM Fadnavis clarified that PM Modi has not planned a visit to flood-affected regions. He said the Prime Minister will visit Maharashtra on October 8 and 9 to inaugurate the Navi Mumbai International Airport and the final stretch of the underground Metro-3 corridor from Worli to Cuffe Parade.
The meeting came amid rising demands from opposition parties. They urged the state government to declare a wet drought and provide farmers with financial aid of ₹50,000 per hectare.
Fadnavis told Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday that Maharashtra urgently requires maximum NDRF allocation to provide relief to farmers and rebuild livelihoods. He said the assistance would cover crop and land damage, livelihood support, damaged houses, and property losses.
Defence Corridor and Industrial Push
In his memorandum, Fadnavis expressed grave concern over the devastation caused by continuous heavy rainfall and flooding across 31 districts. He said the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) had already allocated ₹2,215 crore for immediate relief.
“More than 50 lakh hectares of agricultural land have suffered crop damage, and the losses may rise further as heavy rains are expected until the late Kharif season,” he warned.
During his meeting, Fadnavis also presented a roadmap for the Maharashtra Defence Corridor. He explained that the corridor could be developed in three regions—
- Pune, Ahilyanagar, and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar
- Nashik and Dhule
- Nagpur, Wardha, and Amravati
He said the project would strengthen defence manufacturing, boost the economy, and generate employment. PM Modi reacted positively to the proposal.
Fadnavis further proposed developing Gadchiroli as a new steel city, focusing on green steel production, which he said would position Maharashtra as a leader in sustainable industrial growth.
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