Devendra Fadnavis demands release of CM relief fund

Mumbai: Former Maharashtra chief minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Devendra Fadnavis Friday called on Maharashtra governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari and urged him to release funds for farmers affected by unseasonal rains.

Mr Fadnavis also sought the reopening and smooth functioning of the CM’s relief fund through the governor’s office to ensure timely aid to needy persons.

Mr Fadnavis met the governor as the state is currently under President’s rule and the governor, on behalf of the President, can release the funds. The former chief minister later said that the governor accepted both his demands.

After the meeting, Mr Fadnavis tweeted, “Met hon’ble governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari at Raj Bhavan, Mumbai, to request the release of funds to farmers affected by unseasonal rains. The hon’ble governor assured immediate action on this (sic).”

In another tweet, Mr Fadnavis said, “I also requested the reopening and smooth functioning of the chief minister’s relief fund through the hon’ble governor’s office so that no needy patient is deprived of necessary and timely support (sic).”

Mr Fadnavis’ meeting with the governor came at a time when the Bharatiya Janata Party’s estranged ally Shiv Sena is making efforts to form the government with the help of the Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), its political rivals till recently.

Earlier this month, the government approved '10,000 crore as immediate assistance to farmers affected by unseasonal showers across the state of Maharashtra.

The decision was taken when Mr Fadnavis was the chief minister of Maharashtra.  

According to officials, initial estimates show that crops sown on 54.22 lakh hectares across 325 talukas in at least 12 districts have been damaged due to untimely rains in various parts of the state.

The damaged crops include rice, jowar, paddy, cotton, and soybean.