Central team to visit Ahmednagar next week to assess drought situation

NEW DELHI: A central team currently touring drought-hit areas of Marathwada region in Maharashtra to assess the situation there will also visit the neighbouring Ahmednagar district next week, a local Parliamentarian said.

Shiv Sena MP from Shirdi constituency in the district, Sadashiv Lokhande, today claimed to have received an assurance from Union Agricultural Minister Radha Mohan Singh in this regard.

The Minister's assurance comes in response to demands made by Lokhande in this connection yesterday.

"The team will visit Ahmednagar district on August 17. The Union Minister assured me the same today," Lokhande said.

In his letter to Singh yesterday, Lokhande had expressed concerns over drought-affected regions in the Western Maharashtra district and demanded assessment of the situation by the team touring Marathwada.

He had also warned to stage a sit-in demonstration at the Parliament premise in case the three-member panel skipped visiting Ahmednagar.