Mah Govt to build houses for flood-affected people: Bhujbal

Nashik, Sep 25 (UNI) Maharashtra PWD Minister Chhagan Bhujbal today said the government with the help of many NGOs and political parties will build 10 x 10 and 10 x 12 sq ft houses for the people, who were rendered homeless by the recent floods.

Speaking after performing the 'bhumipujan' of the shelter project, Mr Bhujbal, who is also the NCP leader, said in the first phase, the goverment will build 60 houses, whereas the NCP will build 100 houses. The project will come up in Shivajiwadi area and Mumbai naka area of the city.

The NCP has given Rs 20 lakh aid for the project, whereas Mumbai NCP leader Sachin Ahir has given metal sheets worth Rs 3.5 lakh, he said.

Among other rerlief measures, he said the Sarswat Co-op Bank has pledged to provide loan up to Rs one lakh to maximum shopowners and traders, whose business establishments were affected due to the recent floods. The Colony branch of the bank today distributed 10 cheques of the loan amount to the shopowners and traders. Other nationalised banks have also agreed to provide loan to these traders.

The government will give assistance of Rs 10,000, Rs 5,000 to the shopkeepers as per their loss, while Rs 15,000 will be given to those, who have lost their authorised houses. Help will also be prpvoded to build and repair houses. Cheques of the same were distributed among the shopkeepers.

Till date, 'panchanamas' of 3,852 houses and 741 shops had been completed. About 852 quintal of foodgrains and 2,65,000 liters of kerosene had been distributed to the flood-affected people.

Ex-gratia payment of Rs 1.5 crore had been distributed as well, Mr Bhujbal said.

The work of panchanamas of agricultural loss in rural areas had also begun. In Nhipad taluka, 592 hectares land in 17 villages, owned by 785 farmers, had been destroed by the floods.

He said another project of 920 houses will also be implemented in Shivajwadi area under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission scheme. The scheme had to be implemented in Pathardi area but due to opposition from residents, it will come up in Shivajiwadi area. The scheme will have houses for slum dwellers. The temporary shelter to be built for the flood victims will be then used as transit camps, he added.

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