PM announces Rs 400 cr aid to flood-affected Maharashtra

Nanded, 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.

On his arrival at the Sri Guru Govind Singh airport here, Dr Singh told mediapersons 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 each family of the flood victims in the State, from Prime Minister's Relief Fund.

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 here by a special Indian Air Force helicopter around noon and left for Hyderabad after his ten-minute stopover at the flood-affected city.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, State Industry Minister and Nanded District Guardian Minister Ashok Chavan welcomed Dr Singh on his arrival at the Nanded airport.

The Prime Minister's visit to Nanded was preponed by about three hours. He was scheduled to arrive here from Hyderabad at around 1510 hrs. However, he arrived here around 1235 hrs and left for Hyderabad at around 1250 hrs.

His other engagements, including a meeting at the 'Bachat Bhawan', were cancelled following rescheduling of his programme, sources said.

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