In a pro-active move, Maharashtra Government has decided to release advance to respective Divisional Commissioner so that the funds can be used for disbursal of ex-gratia in aftermath of any natural calamity. A sum of Rs 49 crore is being released so that if required, the money can be used to provide immediate financial aid by the officials in their respective region. Pune and Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar Division have got the highest allocation of Rs 12 crore respectively, followed by Rs 10 crore to Nagpur Division, while Konkan, Nashik and Amravati Division are sanctioned Rs 5 crore each.

 

A GR to this effect was issued by Revenue and Forest Department (Relief and Rehabilitation) stating that during the rainy season, many areas of the State tend to face testing time. Sometimes due to excessive rains, hailstorm or high speed winds, houses tend to get damaged. In such cases, there is need for releasing immediate aid to the distressed persons so that they can carry out emergency repairs. Under such circumstances, the process of sanctioning total compensation is quite lengthy. First, the spot panchanama is carried to assess the damage to the houses and property. Thereafter, document verification and preparation of proposal and then after vetting by district authorities is sent to Mantralay seeking compensation.

 

To cut down the time and to ensure that affected citizens get some temporary relief, State Government decided to release money in advance. The respective Divisional Commissioner will release the sum as requested by District Collector under their jurisdiction, and same will ensure that people can carry on with their routine without having to wait for prolonged period when full aid comes in. Often, even small financial help in aftermath of the adversity enables the affected person to stabilise and carry on with their routine while the lengthy process of getting full compensation from authorities is processed in time.