State asks Centre for Rs 311cr assistance

By Our Special Correspondent
Gandhinagar, April 22


Drought hit Gujarat is looking for cash assistance from Centre to salvage itself from what Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel himself has conceded to be the century’s worst drought. The Patel government wants the Centre to dole out Rs 311 crore for a water project that it feels will help in tackling the water crisis.

A two-member central team of Bharatlal and P.K.Chakravarty is camping in the state to review the drought affected areas. After exhaustive touring of Rajkot ,Surendranagar and Jamnagar districts, three of the worst-hit regions in the state, the central members have obtained first-hand reports on the actual condition about the relief works and water arrangement done by the Gujarat government.

These members were in the state capital today where they had deliberations with the chief secretary Mr LNS Mukundan, the additional chief secretary Mr K.V.Bhanujan and others.

The chief secretary presented a water plan to the central team and sought an assistance of Rs 311 crore on an immediate basis to implement the master water plan which they feel would contribute in controlling the water crisis in the state.

The state government officials told the central team that they were aware of no provisions for any financial assistance but the government should take up Gujarat as a special case and sanction the water plan.