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The poll-bound Congress-Nationalist Congress Party government on Wednesday announced conditions akin to water scarcity in 123 of the total 355 talukas of Maharashtra falling below 50 per cent average rainfall. The government also declared 33 per cent rebate in power tariff charged to agricultural pumps, examination fee waiver to school children and remission in land revenue. The government has fixed taluka as criteria and not district for declaring conditions akin to the scarcity.
Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan said the state Cabinet at its meeting held Wednesday morning gave its approval in this regard. State Cabinet’s decision comes close on the heels of strong demand made by some ministers, especially from the scarcity-hit Marathwada region and also by Opposition BJP and Shiv Sena.
Chavan informed that the state received 502 mm rainfall, which is 68.50 per cent of the average of August month. The water storage in reservoirs reached 61 per cent which was 73% during the corresponding period last year.
