S S Chouhan meets PM to seek central assistance

New Delhi, Mar 31 (UNI) Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan today met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to apprise him of the situation in the state following the hailstorm and heavy rainfall, which claimed 85 lives and over 1000 cattle heads and destroyed 5.5 lakh hectares of crops.

Mr Chouhan accompanied by two of his cabinet colleagues Raghavji and Kamal Patel, and some MPs from the state like Chandramani Tripathi, Faggan Singh Kulaste and Neeta Pateria met the Prime Minister at his South Block office to seek Central assistance for employment oriented programmes in rural areas.

Mr Chouhan said the state government had spent Rs 116 crore for the NAFED procuring mustard seed offering a support price while the Centre had provided only Rs 16 crore.

The Prime Minister on his part assured all central help and assistance and told the delegation that a central team had been dispatched to assess the situation. Adequate assistance will be extended to the states soon after the report was received.

The Chief Minister also submitted a memorandum seeking 39 districts to be considered under Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana, Coal royalities to be fixed on ad valorem basis, an additional package of Rs 399 crore for better fiscal management and Rs 293 crore as incentive from the centre as the state was one of the few entitled to receive this grant. He also sought the centre's assistance for closing the state road transport corporation and for making avaialable the balance of calamity relief fund as plan resources fund.

UNI MCN PR DB2011