Mumbai, August 3: The Maharashtra government on Tuesday announced the much-anticipated relief package of Rs 11,500 crore for emergency relief, repairs and long-term rehabilitation measures for the victims of the recent devastating floods which hit 9 districts last month. The decision was taken at a crucial cabinet meeting presided over by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray in the presence of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and ministers of all three allies -- Shiv Sena-Nationalist Congress Party-Congress, said Relief & Rehabilitation Minister Vijay Wadettiwar.

As an immediate measure, the government will provide Rs 10,000 to all affected families for loss of clothes, household utensils, furniture, etc, he said. Minorities Affairs Minister Nawab Malik said that around 4 lakh hectares of agricultural lands have been completely ravaged in the flood havoc and 20 per cent of the balance work of recording 'panchnamas' is still underway. Maharashtra Floods: Death Toll Rises to 149, Over 2.29 Lakh People Evacuated As Heavy Rains Wreak Havoc in The State.

However, all the affected people will be provided sufficient aid to help them rebuild their lives and he urged the Centre to come forward and help the state grappling with the huge crisis, he added.

Among the highlights, of the total fund, Rs 1,500 crore is for assistance, Rs 3,000 crore for reconstruction activities of the ravaged regions, and Rs 7,000 crore for flood mitigation measures in these areas, said Thackeray.

The government will extend relief of Rs 150,000 per house pucca/kutchha house, which was destroyed completely, Rs 50,000 for homes which suffered 50 per cent destruction, and Rs 25,000 for homes with 25 percent damage, and Rs 15,000 for lesser havoc, and Rs 15,000 for each hutment destroyed.

In urban centres, the payment would be as per eligibility for slums under the rehabilitation for a declared slum belt and in rural areas, those eligible for regularisation but not yet regularised shall be entitled for the aid.

Authorised shopkeepers, who are are local residents, shall be given up to a maximum of Rs 50,000 or upto 75 per cent of the actual losses as per the panchnamas, and local stall-owners will get maximum aid of Rs 10,000 or upto 75 per cent of their loss.

For the loss of dairy animals, the payout would be Rs 40,000 per animal - pulling animals between Rs 20,000/Rs 30,000 per animal, sheep, goats, pigs at Rs 3,000 per creature with limitation of 30 small milch animals per family, Rs 50 per poultry bird with a maximum of 100 birds per family, and Rs 5,000 for lost poultry sheds.

Fisherfolk, who suffered substantially, shall be entitled to Rs 25,000 for total loss of boats, Rs 10,000 for partial damage, and upto Rs 5,000 for loss of fishing nets. Local artisans/craftspersons shall be given upto 75 per cent of their actual losses or maximum of Rs 50,000, with 12 categories included for the aid.

Meanwhile, Minister of State Aditi Tatkare demanded that the Centre should immediately sanction Rs 1,000 crore towards flood aid in the state, while Congress' former MP Hussain Dalwai said that the package had not given sufficient aid to the worst-hit Konkan region.

A record downpour aggravated by other circumstances resulted in massive floods in nine districts of the coastal Konkan and western Maharashtra in the fourth week of July, besides tragedies of landslips, hillslides, house-crashes, waterlogging for several days, etc.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 03, 2021 09:13 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).