PM announces Rs 400 cr aid for Mah; death toll up at 255

Mumbai, Aug 11 (UNI) Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today announced a financial assistance of Rs 400 crore to the Maharashtra government for the relief and rehabilitation of flood-affected people in the state.

Dr Singh visited the flood-hit Nanded district of the State. He told mediapersons there that the Centre will immediately provide an assistance of Rs 400 crore to the State for relief work. Of this, Rs 220 crore would be made available from the Calamity Relief Fund (CRF) and Rs 180 crore from the National Calamity Contingency Fund (NCCF).

Besides the Rs 400 crore immediate financial assistance, he also announced a financial assistance of Rs one lakh to next of kin of those killed in the devastating floods, from Prime Minister's Relief Fund.

Asserting a strong commitment to help flood-affected Maharashtra, the Prime Minister said a Central team would be despatched soon to assess the damage caused by the floods and assured that the State would be given further financial help, after submission of the report by the Central team.

Mr Singh said the Centre was considering a new legislation to offer adequate financial assistance to the flood-affected people.

He also appreciated the relief activities initiated by the state government and said the Centre has been providing all possible assistance to the state in rescue operations.

''We fully support Maharashtra Government in its efforts and will provide every possible assistance,'' he assured.

The Prime Minister, accompanied by Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil, Union Minister in PMO Prithviraj Chavan and Union Minister of State for Rural Development Suryakanta Patil, arrived in Nanded this noon and left for Hyderabad after his 10-minute stopover at the flood-affected city.

Later, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister R R Patil told mediapersons here that at least 255 people have died and 31 others are reported missing in the floods tormenting the State since about a week, while 3.59 lakh people have been evacuated from low-lying areas.

Mr Patil said over 6.12 lakh people from 7,375 villages of 209 talukas in State have been affected so far.

He said the Amravati division reported a maximum of 61 deaths, while the figure stood at 51 in Marathwada.

In Pandharpur and Sangli the water level is still above the danger mark, but the situation is under control, he mentioned.

There has been heavy rainfall in the state since the last month.

In the first spell, Western Maharashtra was badly affected, followed by Satara, Sangli, Kolhapur and Sholapur.

This month, a few districts in Vidarbha and Northern Mahrashtra were also severely affected by floods.

Meanwhile, rains brought back the panic among people residing on the banks of Panchaganga, Krishna and Warna rivers in Western Maharashtra's Kolhapur and Sangli districts, as there was no sign of reduction in flood in the region.

The water level of Panchaganga and Krishna rivers continued to rise. The discharge by various dams into the river beds further worsened the situation in flood-affected areas.

Kolhapur district recorded 1,076.6 mm rainfall during last 24 hours ending at 0800 hrs today, sources said.

The flood situation in Sangli district also continued to be the same, where a large number of flood-affected people have been shifted to safer places and the process is still on, Sangli district flood control office said.

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