Central team meets Chief Secretary

Members of a Central team visiting Madhya Pradesh to assess losses to crops, houses and roads due to excessive rains this year met Chief Secretary Shri Anthony de Sa at Mantralaya today. Senior officers of concerning departments were also present on the occasion.

The central inter-ministerial team toured 9 districts of Madhya Pradesh following demand of Rs. 575.19 crore relief amount from the Union Government. The Central team divided in 3 groups toured rain-affected areas in Chhindwara, Seoni, Hoshangabad, Jabalpur, Harda, Betul, Raisen, Sehore and Dewas districts. Members of the team also met farmers and citizens whose crops and houses were damaged. Describing damage caused by excessive rains in the state as grave, the team said that it will submit its report soon. The Chief Secretary urged the Central team to arrange adequate funds for compensation and relief against losses due to heavy rains in Madhya Pradesh. Principal Secretary Revenue Shri R.K. Chaturvedi gave a detailed account of losses suffered in various areas of Madhya Pradesh to the Central team.

The Central team was led by Union Joint Secretary Home Shri Bhagwan Shankar. Other members of the team included senior officers of Union Finance, Water Resources, Road Transport & National Highways, Agriculture Rural Development Ministry and representatives of Planning Commission of India. Those present at the meeting in Mantralaya included Additional Chief Secretary and Agriculture Production Commissioner Shri M.M. Upadhyay, Additional Chief Secretary Panchayats & Rural Development Smt. Aruna Sharma and Principal Secretaries of Public Works, Urban Administration & Development and other departments. New Delhi-based Special Resident Commissioner Shri Shailendra Singh also attended the meeting.