Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday met the Chief Ministers of Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Karnataka to discuss the drought situation in these States.
The separate meetings with each Chief Minister — alongwith Central and State officials — are part of Mr. Modi’s move to meet the Chief Ministers of the 11 drought-affected States. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis sought additional Central assistance to deal with the situation, with as many as 28,000 villages being drought-affected.
“I apprised the Prime Minister of the drought situation. We have asked for a package of Rs. 7,500 crore for completion of irrigation projects in Marathwada and Vidarbha in the coming three years, and a special package of Rs. 2,500 crore for completing pending irrigation projects in the drought-prone western Maharashtra. On both issues, we have received a very positive response from the Centre,” Mr. Fadnavis told reporters.
He added that the Centre had agreed to his request to submit a supplementary memorandum, as 11,000 villages have been affected by drought recently, apart from the ones hit by drought earlier.
U.P. wants tankers
Days after refusing to accept a water train sent by the Centre for drought-hit Bundelkhand, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav asked Mr. Modi for Central assistance.
After the meeting, Mr. Yadav said there was water in the dams of Bundelkhand but arrangements had to be made for its distribution. “There is enough water in the dams of Bundelkhand. We need tankers to lift it. A train will not be able to reach those villages,” Mr. Yadav said.
Mr. Yadav told Mr. Modi that as against the Rs.7,543 crore sought by the State in 2015 to compensate for damage due to hailstorms, just Rs. 2,801 crore was received, and as against Rs. 2,057 crore sought for drought relief, only Rs. 934 crore was received.
