Gandhinagar, Jan 29: Gujarat cabinet today decided to form a "special precautionary squad" of district level officials in 13 districts reeling under severe drought to curb the discrepancies in relief work and attend to complaints of people. Speaking to reporters after the state cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Narendra Modi, government spokesmen I K Jadeja and Saurabh Patel said, "These squads will take stock of on-going relief works in 4,529 villages and ensure that complaints regarding drinking water supply, fodder and daily wages of people and labourers do not go unattended".
Also, secretaries have been shouldered the responsibility of reviewing relief work in 83 drought-hit talukas, they said. However, Jadeja, despite repeated questions regarding the state's demand from the Centre for drought-relief package, refused to divulge the details.

"We have demanded that the state be included under the Centre's special package as in other drought-affected states", he merely said.

Also, Rs 247 crore master plan to supply drinking water in these villages has been implemented, he said.
He also informed about special "complaint" boxes being placed at taluka towns of drought-hit areas so that people can "freely" express their distress.

Bureau Report