Central team to study crop damage in MP: Arjun

Bhopal, Mar 17(UNI) Union Minister for Human Resources Development Arjun Singh today said a Central team would soon tour Madhya Pradesh to assess the crop damage due to hailstorm and unseasonal rains.

Central assistance for providing relief to the affected farmers would be released on the basis of the central team's report and there was no need for levelling allegations and counter-allegations, Mr Singh told reporters here after filing his nomination for the biennial election to the Rajya Sabha.

''It is a matter to be investigated into and it was upto the Chief Minister to do so'', he said about Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan's refusal to inquire into alleged phone-tapping of politicians and journalists in the state.

Mr Singh declined to comment on the Congress strategy to take on Mr Chouhan in the Assembly by-election in Sehore's Budhni constituency saying this question should be addressed to raised PCC Chief Subhash Yadav.

He also declined to comment on the functioning of Mr Chouhan-led BJP government.

UNI SD-SP VD KN1534