Fadnavis asks officials to provide financial aid to rain-hit people in Maharashtra

Devendra Fadnavis

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has directed officials to ensure that financial aid is provided to people affected by heavy rains in the state, his cabinet colleague Chandrashekhar Bawankule said on Tuesday.

Bawankule, the state revenue minister, said affected citizens, including farmers, would be compensated as per norms set by the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) and the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF).

"People who lost their houses or crops due to heavy rains should receive financial assistance. These were the orders of Chief Minister Fadnavis," he told reporters here.

A comprehensive presentation on the damage caused by the recent downpour was made before the state cabinet, Bawankule added.

Commenting on the intensity of the downpour in Mumbai on Monday, the day when the south-west monsoon arrived in the financial capital, the revenue minister noted, "The Colaba area recorded nearly 200 mm of rainfall, which is extremely rare." He disclosed that Fadnavis has instructed disaster management authorities to pre-deploy relief teams in areas that are prone to flooding, in order to minimise damage and respond swiftly during emergencies.