The special package for Maharashtra comes at a time when other state governments have also approached the Centre seeking help for drought relief.
THE union Cabinet on Wednesday approved a special package for drought-prone areas of Maharashtra, three months after a meeting was held in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) to discuss a proposal to address agrarian distress in Maharashtra.
Union Water Resources Minister Nitin Gadkari and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, it is learnt, are likely to participate in a ceremony in Nagpur to mark the special package — known locally as the ‘Balliraja’ package.
In May, The Indian Express had reported that the BJP-led Central government was set to approve such a package to address “agrarian distress in 14 suicide-prone districts of Vidharbha and Marathwada” worth around Rs 13,650 crore over five years.
The special package takes the shape of the Centre’s assistance and is over and above the 26 major and medium projects in Maharashtra that are funded under the PMKSY-Accelerated Irrigation Benefits Programme (AIBP) which are to be completed by December, 2019.
The special package for Maharashtra comes at a time when other state governments have also approached the Centre seeking help for drought relief.
“Implementation of the scheme will generate employment of approximately 341 lakh man-days for unskilled, semi-skilled and skilled workers,” a statement said.
The Centre said that the special package will create additional potential of 3.77 lakh hectares in Marathwada, Vidarbha and other drought-prone areas of Maharashtra and the completion of these projects will “ensure assured source of water to the farmers in the command areas of these projects,” the statement said.