WITH more than half of Maharashra facing a drought, the state government on Tuesday relaxed norms to speed up mitigation works. Advertising The Cabinet adopted a report of a ministerial sub-committee that suggested reduction of the tendering period for such works. The Cabinet also gave Collectors of drought-hit districts the powers to acquire private wells and ponds to supply water to parched areas, spending budgetary funds earmarked for scarcity mitigation. Meanwhile, in order to expedite the completion of irrigation projects, the Cabinet approved a proposal to seek an additional loan of Rs 6,985 crore from the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD). The NABARD is funding the central and state share of 99 prioritised irrigation projects under the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchan Yojana (PMKSY). Out of these, 26 projects are ongoing in Maharashtra. While the bank has already released Rs 7,826.13 crore in loan towards work for 24 projects, the state’s water resources department had raised an additional demand of Rs 5,848 crore to account for cost escalation and time overruns. Advertising Apart from these, the department has also proposed availing loans totalling another Rs 1,137 crore from NABARD for 22 other ongoing irrigation projects being planned under the Command Area Development and Water Management (CADWM) component of PMKSY. Baby care kits In another decision, the Cabinet approved a proposal to provide baby care kits to newborns at government hospitals and primary health centres. Replicating schemes already adopted in the southern states of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, the kit, that costs Rs 2,000 each, contains a towel, infant dress, infant mattress, mosquito net, napkin, oil bottle, baby shampoo, soap box, soap, nail cutter, baby rattler, doll, hand sanitiser, soap (for mothers) and box to store items. The women and child development department has estimated that about four lakh newborns would benefit from the scheme annually.

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