Thackeray writes to Sitharaman: ‘Instruct insurance firms to pay at least 50% claim to those hit by flood’

Over 1,351 villages in Konkan and Western Maharashtra have been hit by the floods that have claimed 213 lives and affected 1.94 lakh residents staying in these areas.

Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday wrote a letter to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman requesting her to instruct insurance companies to pay at least 50 per cent of the claims to traders, shopkeepers and other people affected by the floods that hit parts of Maharashtra last week. Over 1,351 villages in Konkan and Western Maharashtra have been hit by the floods that have claimed 213 lives and affected 1.94 lakh residents staying in these areas.

Thackeray also urged Sitharaman to instruct banks to provide loans at concessional rates to traders and other people affected by the floods.

“There is a huge loss of lives and properties due to the floods. In all the flood-hit areas, orders have been given to the revenue authorities to carry out immediate panchnama (inspection and assessment of the losses),” Thackeray said in his letter.

Maharashtra CM’s letter to Sitharaman comes after his meetings with the representatives of the insurance companies and with the state-level bankers’ committee. The meetings were attended by senior ministers, including Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, and chief secretary Sitaram Kunte and other senior officials.

The CM further said many shops, vehicles and houses have been damaged in the flood and people have been waiting to get their claims from the insurance companies. “We held a meeting with some insurance companies and also with the district collectors today (Thursday). In it, the insurance companies have shown their willingness to pay 50 per cent of the total insurance amount on the basis of panchnama. But, the appropriate instructions need to be issued by the Centre to the headquarters of the insurance companies and to the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDA),” he added.

Earlier, such instructions were issued to the insurance companies after the floods in Kerala (2018), and Jammu and Kashmir (2014), the CM pointed out.

Thackeray also mentioned his meeting with the bankers’ committee and said all the banks should immediately resume banking business from their branches situated in the flood-hit areas. “They should provide loans at concessional interest rates for working capital to the traders who have suffered losses. Also, those who want to repay their loan installments should be given a few months’ extension for it. These instructions should be issued to the banks from your level,” he wrote to the Union minister.

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