Bhopal: Chief Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan met Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and invited him to lay foundation stone of ambitious Narmada-Gambhir Link Project. He informed that Narmada-Kshipra Project launched earlier has been successful. During meetings with the Prime Minister and the Union Finance Minister, the Chief Minister urged for Rs. 5963.22 crore package towards natural disaster relief.
Shri Chouhan also called on Union Finance Minister Shri Arun Jaitley. The Chief Minister held point-wise detailed discussions with the Prime Minister and the Union Finance Minister. The Chief Minister said that state’s share in income tax should be increased. Crop insurance scheme should be chalked out in a manner that it provides maximum benefits to farmers. He made a special appeal to give permission to construct permanent structures under MNREGA. As a result of it, development will be accelerated apart from improvement in infrastructure. Shri Chouhan called for 50-50 sharing of Centre and state in MNREGA. Shri Chouhan said that state should have a unified fund, which can be used in case of disaster or contingency.
Appeal for Rs. 5963.22 crore package towards natural disaster relief
Shri Chouhan urged the Prime Minister and the Union Finance Minister for Rs. 5963.22 crore package towards natural disaster relief. He also handed over a letter in this regard to Shri Modi and Shri Jaitley. The Chief Minister said that for the moment the state government should be immediately provided Rs. 2150 crore spent from its own sources.
The Chief Minister informed the Prime Minister and the Union Finance Minister that Rabi crops in the state had suffered extensive damage due to excessive rains and hailstorm in March 2014 in 49 out of 51 districts of the state. The natural calamity badly affected crops in 29.19 lakh hectare and 31.46 lakh farmers. Large scale loss of lives, money and animals was witnessed. The Chief Minister informed that the state government had sought Rs. 5963.22 crore special package from the Centre for relief to affected people. After inspection of Central team, the Centre had sanctioned Rs. 494.95 crore. Of this, only Rs. 240.21 crore was released. Without waiting for any Central assistance, the state government provided Rs. 2150 crore to affected farmers from its own sources. This amount was deposited directly in farmers’ bank accounts.
The Chief Minister was accompanied by Principal Secretary Shri S.K. Mishra and Secretary Shri Vivek Agrawal
