Over 83 people have died in rain-related incidents in Maharashtra between June 1 and July 10, according to the State Disaster Management Authority and many urban and rural parts of the state are inundated. 

However, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and his deputy Devendra Fadnavis, who took oath on June 30, are a two-member cabinet handling monsoon disasters in the absence of other ministers. 

According to sources, a Cabinet expansion is likely to take place only after the July 18 presidential polls. Till then, the Chief Minister and his deputy will have to shoulder disaster management responsibilities in the state. 

Shinde defected from the Shiv Sena and toppled the Uddhav Thackeray-led government last month. The cabinet expansion has also been delayed by the ongoing legal battle between Shinde and the Shiv Sena over disqualification of MLAs. However, the Shinde faction spokesperson Deepak Kesarkar said there was no problem in Cabinet expansion.  

Shinde, who visited the inundated Gadchiroli district, asked the administration to chalk out a permanent plan to save villages that are disconnected from other parts during the floods. An NDRF team reached Chiplun in Konkan to shift villagers in Nandise after a 200-meter fissure appeared in the mountain near the village. 

Heavy rains 

Nashik district in North Maharashtra recorded deaths on account of floods, lightning strikes, landslides, falling trees, and collapse of structures, among others.

Chandrapur, Parbhani, Osmanabad, Hingoli, Aurangabad, Kolhapur, Sangli, Solapur, Raigad, Thane and Mumbai have not recorded any fatalities since the beginning of the monsoon last month, the report said.

Several parts of the state, including Mumbai and its adjoining areas, witnessed heavy rainfall between June 1 and July 10. Pune and Gadchiroli districts, too, have been witnessing heavy downpours for the last few days.

(with PTI inputs) 

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