By Sonu Shrivastava

Copyright deccanchronicle

Mumbai: Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi to apprise him of the flood situation and damages caused by excessive rainfall in the state. Mr. Fadnavis met the Prime Minister alone in New Delhi and submitted a letter seeking financial assistance for the affected farmers. The letter was jointly signed by deputy chief ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar. He held a closed-door meeting with the Prime Minister that lasted for an hour.After meeting the Prime Minister, the Chief Minister said that the Prime Minister has assured him that the Centre will provide assistance once it receives a proposal from the state. “I have briefed the Prime Minister on the nature and scale of damage across Maharashtra. The letter we submitted requests maximum support under the National Disaster Relief Fund (NDRF). The Prime Minister responded positively and assured that assistance would be provided once the proposal reaches the Union Government,” he said. According to the state agriculture department, crops spread across 30.85 lakh acres have been damaged due to incessant rainfall over the past 20 days. The floods have also resulted in the loss of 15 lives in the last 10 days, and widespread damage to livestock, shops, and homes. A senior state official confirmed that a detailed memorandum will be sent to the Centre once the panchanamas (official damage assessments) are completed. “The Chief Minister has sought maximum possible relief for affected farmers. A comprehensive proposal is being prepared,” the official said. Mr. Fadnavis’s visit to the capital came a day after Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s visit to Mumbai, during which both Fadnavis and DCM Shinde submitted an initial letter requesting additional NDRF aid. Beyond flood relief, the Chief Minister also discussed several developmental issues with the Prime Minister. These included the proposed defence corridor in Maharashtra, incentives for steel production in Gadchiroli, and the transfer of Airports Authority of India land at Dahisar. He also briefed the Prime Minister on ongoing initiatives to improve the state’s Ease of Doing Business rankings. Mr. Fadnavis further announced that Prime Minister Modi is scheduled to visit Mumbai on October 8 and 9 for an international fintech festival. During the visit, the Prime Minister is expected to inaugurate the Metro Line 3 and the Navi Mumbai International Airport, which will be named after D.B. Patil, a veteran leader of project-affected people (PAPs), who is revered for the relentless struggle he put up for fair compensation for lands.