Give cyclone relief aid to other states too, say NCP & Shiv Sena

Sharad Pawar, Uddhav Thackeray | File Pic

The NCP on Thursday claimed that six states, including Maharashtra and Goa, suffered losses due to Cyclone Tauktae, but the Centre announced financial assistance only for Gujarat.

The Shiv Sena, which shares power in Maharashtra with the NCP and Congress, expressed hope that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would also announce a financial assistance for Maharashtra and Goa soon.

However, BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis said Prime Minister Modi has clearly stated that the cyclone-affected states will get assistance from the Centre.

Fadnavis alleged that the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in Maharashtra was deliberately trying to rake up a controversy over the PM''s visit to Gujarat.

On Wednesday, Modi conducted an aerial survey of areas hit by the cyclone in Gujarat and approved an assistance of Rs 1,000 crore for "immediate relief activities" in the state.

He also announced on ex-gratia compensation of Rs 2 lakh for the kin of those killed due to cyclone in all affected states.

Maharashtra minister and state NCP chief Jayant Patil in a tweet said, "Last year, Nisarga cyclone devastated Konkan but the financial assistance by Centre was meagre. Now, 6 other states have had losses due to Tauktae (Konkan in MH and Goa being badly hit) - yet no assistance to anyone but GJ!"

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Meanwhile, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut said there was no need to be upset over the financial aid of Rs 1,000 crore to Gujarat. The state is a part of India and has suffered losses due to the cyclone, he said.

"PM Modi is a large-hearted man. Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis toured the affected areas of Maharashtra and will surely apprise the Centre of the extent of damage and losses," Raut told reporters here.

The Rajya Sabha said Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray will also visit the affected regions on Friday.

"A detail memorandum on what help is required will be compiled. I am sure the Centre will provide Rs 1,500 crore to Maharashtra and Rs 500 crore to Goa," he said.

Maharashtra NCP's chief spokesperson Mahesh Tapase said the cyclone hit the state's Konkan region "the most" and citizens in the coastal belt suffered financial losses due to the calamity.

But help was provided only to Gujarat, he alleged.

"...the Modi government has meted out injustice to the people in Konkan. It was not expected that the prime minister of the country would discriminate among states. Maybe, it is the BJP''s stand to provide assistance only to the states where it is in power," the NCP leader claimed.

He said the MVA government in Maharashtra stands firmly with farmers and citizens from the Konkan region.

However, Fadnavis said a press note issued by the Union government after the PM''s visit to Gujarat clearly stated that the cyclone-affected states will get assistance from the Centre.

"The MVA government in Maharashtra is deliberately trying to rake up a controversy over his visit to Gujarat," the former chief minister told reporters in Raigad.

The cyclone made landfall in Gujarat, where several villages have been swept away, Fadnavis said, while noting that it caused damages in states like Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Goa, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan and two Union Territories.

He said no other state reacted adversely after the press note issued by the Union government because they had read the statement, and the BJP is not even in power in Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

"All the states will get help from the Centre, including Maharashtra," Fadnavis asserted.

He said there is already a provision of the State Disaster Management Fund.

"A state can draw funds from it and provide assistance to the affected people. Every state government is aware of such provision. Once the state uses that fund, the Centre, through the National Disaster Management Fund, provides further assistance to the state," he added.

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