Fadnavis sanctions Rs 5,380 crores for rain-affected farmers

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday sanctioned Rs 5,380 crore from the state contingency fund to give relief to farmers affected by unseasonal rain.

"CM @Dev_Fadnavis sanctions another Rs5380 crores from Maharashtra Contingency Fund to give relief to unseasonal rain-affected farmers," tweeted Chief Ministers Office (CMO) Maharashtra.

Fadnavis also chaired a meeting to discuss the proposed 'Climate Resilience Improvement and flood & drought Management Program' with representatives from the World Bank.

"All technical modalities got discussed in this meeting and CM @Dev_Fadnavis directed to place this proposal for cabinet approval. @WorldBank will spend Rs3500 crores on this project out of which Rs350 crore is for technical assistance," tweeted CMO.

"This program includes diversion of floodwater to drought-prone area maintaining the environmental balance. The discussion also took place on #SmartVillage project for 20 lakh farmers in 10,000 villages for better market opportunities to farmers by connecting to corporate," informed CMO in a subsequent tweet.

At a time when deliberations among Congress, NCP and Shiv Sena on the formation of a non-BJP government in the state had seemingly reached a final stage, the BJP formed the government in a surprise development on Saturday morning when Fadnavis took oath for the second time as the Maharashtra Chief Minister, while Ajit Pawar was sworn-in as the Deputy Chief Minister of the state.

( With inputs from ANI )