Shiv Sena demands Rs 2,000 crore relief package from Centre

New Delhi, Dec 4: Shiv Sena on Wednesday demanded a Rs 2,000 crore relief package from the Centre for drought-hit districts in Maharashtra, said a TOI report.

Shiv Sena's Chandrakant Khaire asked the Centre to provide relief to families whose agriculture and economy had been destroyed by the severe drought in Marathwada and Vidarbha regions. A central assistance of Rs 5 lakh per family should be given to farmers who have committed suicide, he said.

NDMA severely neglected, say parties

The National Disaster Management Authority doesn't have a chief yet. On Wednesday, opposition parties slammed the Centre in the Lok Sabha for neglecting NDMA, said a TOI report.

The House was discussing the country's preparedness to deal with disasters in the wake of Kashmir floods and Andhra cyclone. The opposition parties slammed the government saying the country was less than prepared to deal with calamities.

Kalikesh Singh Deo of BJD said that the government had not filled vacancies in NDMA since long. The officials appointed by the previous UPA regime had quit six months ago.

Singh also accused the government of turning NDMA into a place for retired bureaucrats and politicians. There should be experts in the body to deal with disasters, he said.

Deo also said the Hudhud cyclone, Centre didn't help Odisha adequately.

The Centre was also slammed by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on NDMA issue, saying the Centre was following a policy of "dismiss in haste, but fill the post at leisure".

Oneindia News