MPs, MLAs and corporators from State to donate one month’s salary towards relief operations

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has announced immediate assistance of ₹20 crore towards the ongoing relief operations in flood-hit Kerala. Mr. Fadnavis also appealed to the people of Maharashtra to come forward and generously donate towards the rescue and relief operations in the southern State reeling from the worst floods in 100 years with all rivers in spate.

Food to be transported

Mr. Fadnavis on Saturday said the developers’ body MCHI-CREDAI is contributing food packets worth ₹1.5 crore, while the Rajasthani Welfare Association and JITO International is contributing another ₹51 lakh each. Senior officials from the Chief Minister’s Office said, “We have arranged for around 11 tonnes of dry food so far. Six tonnes of food will be sent to Kerala by Saturday evening. Our government is constantly in touch with the Kerala government to know their requirements and have been extending the necessary support since Friday.”

Apart from the financial assistance, State Ministers too came out to donate their salaries towards the flood relief measures. Minister and BJP leader Ravindra Chavan said he has donated his one month’s salary towards the relief operations in Kerala. All corporators of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) from the Kalyan Dombivali Municipal Corporation announced that they would be donating their salary towards the relief efforts. The Nationalist Congress Party declared that all its MLAs will be donating a month’s salary towards the rescue operations in Kerala.

Standing behind Kerala

Shiv Sena’s Lok Sabha members Rahul Shewale and Shrikant Shinde have donated a month’s pay to the Kerala Chief Minister’s disaster relief fund. Mr. Shinde said, “I call upon all colleagues, MLAs and corporators from Maharashtra to come forward and contribute towards the rescue efforts in Kerala.” Congress legislators have decided to donate a month’s salary.

Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil said all Congress members of the Assembly and the Legislative Council will donate a month’s salary for relief work in the southern state.

“The party president [Rahul Gandhi] has asked us to stand behind people of Kerala and extend all possible help,” Mr. Vikhe-Patil said after meeting with Mr. Gandhi in Delhi. (With PTI inputs)