Our leaders will visit flood-hit areas in Maharashtra, extend support to farmers: NCP (SP)

Mumbai, Sep 24 (PTI) Amid widespread devastation caused by recent floods across parts of Maharashtra, the NCP (SP) said on Wednesday that its senior leaders would visit the affected areas and extend support to distressed farmers.

In a statement, the party said it aims to understand the hardships faced by the farming community whose standing crops and livelihoods have been severely damaged due to torrential downpours and floods.

Unprecedented rains in the arid Marathwada in central Maharashtra, which comprises eight districts, have claimed at least eight lives, marooned villages, damaged houses and flattened crops on more than 30,000 hectares, officials have said. Heavy downpours also inundated several areas in Solapur district.

According to the Sharad Pawar-led NCP(SP), MLA Shashikant Shinde is scheduled to tour Beed, while MLA Jayant Patil and Harshvardhan Patil will visit Solapur. Jayant Patil will also visit Dharashiv district.

Former minister Anil Deshmukh will tour Yavatmal and Washim, MLA Jitendra Awhad will visit Nanded and Parbhani, and MLA Rajesh Tope will proceed to Jalna, it said. Dr Rajendra Shingne will cover Akola and Buldhana, while MLA Rohit Pawar will visit Ahilyanagar. Jayprakash Dandegaonkar will visit Hingoli, and Prajakt Tanpure will visit Jalgaon, the party statement said.

The NCP (SP) has urged the state government to provide immediate financial relief, compensation, and rehabilitation support to the flood-hit farming families.

Meanwhile, Shashikant Shinde visited rain-affected areas in the Beed district and met the kin of Aditya Kalsane, who lost his life after being swept away in the floods. Shinde said the government must announce a complete loan waiver, declare a “wet drought” and provide financial assistance of Rs 50,000 per hectare. PTI MR NR