Central assistance for rain-affected areas soon: Sharad Pawar

NAGPUR: Central assistance for the areas hit by excess rains and floods in Vidarbha and other regions of Maharashtra would be announced this month, Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar said here today.

"My visit to the affected areas in the Vidarbha region is to assess the damage done by the excess rainfall and subsequent floods, and to witness the ground reality," said Pawar, after arriving here on a three-day visit.

A team of the Central government which was assessing the damage would submit its report, and secretaries of Agriculture, Finance, Home and Planning Commission would sit together and finalise it before putting it before the concerned ministerial group, he added.

Pawar is the chairman of this group, and its other members are Finance Minister P Chidambaram, Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde and Deputy Chairman of Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia. The group will decide the quantum of Central aid.

When asked if the amount of Rs 1,180 crore, sought by the state government, was sufficient for rehabilitation and compensation, Pawar said the Centre would look into this aspect.