As many areas reel under floods, Maha govt enhances aid to victims

In many districts, towns and villages, homes, shops, businesses and other properties of citizens have been damaged or destroyed in the ongoing spell of monsoon.Chief Minister Eknath Shinde informed the Maharashtra Legislature that presently families are entitled to Rs 2,500 for loss of clothes and a similar amount for other household items when their homes are submerged under water, washed away or totally damaged.The amounts will now be doubled to Rs 10,000 per family by relaxing the conditions of the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF), he said.Currently, the SDRF has no provision to provide help to shopkeepers suffering losses during floods or other natural calamities.Now, if the shops are submerged underwater or completely damaged or washed away, they will be extended financial assistance up to 75 per cent of the losses or a maximum amount of Rs 50,000.Shinde added that a similar helping hand will be given to small businesses, 'tapris' (stalls) run by many individuals or families in small towns.Since, they are presently not covered under any schemes in such calamities, the state will provide them a special financial assistance of up to 75 per cent of the actual losses or a maximum Rs 10,000, as per the panchnamas.For these two categories, only those who are officially registered, licenced tapri holders, local residents with their names on the electoral rolls and ration cards, shall be eligible for the special aid.In the past, over a week, many districts of the state have been lashed by torrential rains that have resulted in floods, damage to residences, businesses or shops and other properties, bridges, roads and other public infrastructure, agricultural losses, cattle, livestocks, etc, besides claiming scores of human lives.--IANSqn/pgh

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