State seeks Rs 100 cr as special assistance

State seeks Rs 100 cr as special assistance
PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

MUMBAI, MARCH 21: In an effort to tackle the acute drinking water scarcity in parts of Maharashtra, the ruling Democratic Front (DF) has sought a special assistance of Rs. 100 crore from the Centre, the state assembly was informed on Wednesday.

``Though the Centre has turned down our initial request of January 16, the DF will be perusing the matter with the Union government'', Water Supply Minsiter R R Patil told the Lower House during question hour.

``The Centre has said that it cannot give the grant. We will be communicating with it over the matter again'', he said while replying to various supplementaries to the main question by Dinkar Patil (Cong) and others.

The government, on its part, has so far spent Rs. seven crore on various relief measures, Patil said adding the total expenditure was likely to touch Rs. 127 crore by June end.