CM Rupani announces 1500 crore special relief package for Banaskantha

Palanpur/Gandhinagar:

Gujarat Chief Minister who after spending five days in flood hit Banaskantha and Patan district announced several relief measures for the two worst-affected districts including a Rs 1500 crore special package also said that this year’s main state event on the occasion of independence day ie August 15 would be held in the taluka town of Dhanera.

CM Rupani, who on the last day of his five day visit had also taken a risky boat ride in river Banas to meet the flood affected villagers across it. said that the 3 months electricity bills of the flood hit farmers would also be waived off.

He informed that of the 1500 crore special package 1311 crores would be for Agricultural and land related losses, 75 crores for electricity, 20 crores for cattle related assistance] 15 crores for business and industries and 79 crores for schemes related to revenue department.

Notably over 70 people have died in floods in the two districts while over 6000 cattle have also lost lives. Electricity in over 560 villages has been restored. Thousands of people were shifted to safer places while hundreds rescued in operations that saw participation of Army, Air Force, NDRF and other rescue agencies.

Ruapni informed that the compensation for the loss of crop has also been raised from earlier Rs 13500 to 20000. For horticultural crops that give more than one yield a year it has been raised to Rs 30000 from earlier 18000. The same for land erosion in irrigated area has been raised to Rs 25000 as against 12800 during 2015 floods. For large scale erosion it has been raised to Rs 80000 from earlier 60000. Even the big farmers with more than two hectares of land have also been included in the relief package for the first time.

He said that 130 teams would do a detailed survey to estimate the losses for 10 days. Notably PM Narendra Modi had announced Rs 500 crore donation to the state relief fund during his visit to flood hit Gujarat earlier last month.

On the other hand the state government would organize the main event of Independence day in Dhanera.

The practice to organize the main state events on Independence day and Republic day outside the state capital started during the regime of the then CM Narendra Modi.

Choosing Dhanera as this year’s venue is being seen as an expression of solidarity with the flood affected people.

DeshGujarat