Gujarat to get Rs 480 crore for drought relief

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The Empowered Group of Ministers (EGoM) on drought headed by Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar on Friday sanctioned Rs 480 crore as immediate relief to Gujarat for drinking water in rural areas and contingency planning.

Pawar, along with Rural Development Minister Jayram Ramesh and top central government officials, on Friday held a meeting with Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi to discuss the situation arising out of deficient rains in the state.

The state has so far received only about a quarter of its average rainfall with the most affected regions being Saurashtra and Kutch.

After coming out of the meeting Jayram Ramesh said "Prime Minister has given the EGoM power to sanction immediate relief funds and we have decided to sanction Rs 480 crore for the rural drinking water for the state".

Ramesh also said the man day ceiling per worker under the Mahatma Gandhi-National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MG-NREGA) will be relaxed in Gujarat from 100 to 150 so that those living in rural areas and whose crops have failed can get employment.

The state government had in a memorandum to the EGoM sought Rs 14,683 crore in assistance to fight the drought-like situation in the state. But Pawar has asked the Chief Minister to re-submit the memorandum in two parts with the first part dealing with emergency assistance needed and the other one to suggest long term measures, Ramesh said.

"Prime Minister has given us a mandate to review the ground realities in the states where drought is looming and to take immediate decisions where necessary. But for long-term measures and demands, the state can approach the Planning Commission or the Finance Minister," Pawar said.

About the situation in Gujarat, the EGoM has agreed with the assessment presented by the state, he said.

"We have agreed with the state government that most of the areas in 24 districts and more particularly Saurashtra and Kutch are worst affected due to deficient rains. Hence, when the state sought assistance of Rs 480 crore for drinking water, emergency and contingency planning in these areas, we immediately agreed to sanction it," said Pawar.