Left with empty coffers, the Gujarat government has dashed off an exhaustive 64-page memorandum — being described as an SOS — to the Centre, seeking maximum possible financial assistance to meet the Rs 892.34 crore expenditure to tackle drought in the state, which is likely to worsen during the summer.The weekly Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Narendra Modi expressed concern over the dwindling finances. At the post-Cabinet press briefing government spokesman I.K. Jadeja ducked questions on how much funds the government would require to tackle drought, and whether the Centre had been approached. To which, he said: ‘‘The Cabinet reviewed various measures being initiated in the scarcity-hit parts. “ The memorandum, a copy of which is available with The Indian Express, presents a grim picture of the state’s financial health. It says the calamities in the past five years have dented the state’s coffers to the tune of over Rs 4,731 crore, including Rs 114 crore spent on relief and rehabilitation of post-Godhra riot victims. The government has told the Centre that apart from the 4,529 villages declared as drought-affected, 5,589 more villages are likely to face drinking water problem in addition to 55 urban centres. The government would require Rs 246.78 crore to manage water supply during drought.Describing the current spell of drought as a ‘‘rare severity’’, the government has requested the Centre to release its share of Rs 133.46 crore from the Calamity Relief Fund in single instalment for the year 2002-03. It has also asked the Centre to release in advance Rs 186.84 crore from its share in the CRF for the next financial year 2003-04.The government has also sought a Ways and Means advance of Rs 300 crore from the National Calamity Contingency Fund (NCCF) to help it tide over the present ‘‘finacial crisis and tackle the drought situation’’. The memorandum also seeks an assistance of over Rs 17 crore from the PM’s Relief Fund to meet water scarcity in the 55 towns and cities.It has also requested the Centre to include Gujarat in the PM’s special package for the scarcity-affected states declared on December 18 last. The government has also sought a corpus fund of Rs 5 crore from the PM’s Relief Fund to create self-employment opportunities for rural artisans in the drought-hit parts of the state.
