MUMBAI, Oct. 9 -- An 11-member team of officials from various central ministries began a tour on Thursday to assess the drought situation in Maharashtra. Its report will be crucial in the union government's decision on the quantum of financial assistance to be given to the state. Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday met union home minister Amit Shah and requested him for interim financial assistance of Rs 17,500 crore. "The central team will conduct ground inspections and verify the situation," he said after the meeting. "Its report will be submitted to the National Disaster Response Force, which will consider the findings along with the state government's proposal before deciding on assistance." Muktanand Agrawal, joint secretary in the central ministry of agriculture and farmer welfare, is leading the team made up of administrative and technical officials from ministries such as agriculture, water resources, rural development, water supply, food, finance and NITI Aayog. The team held a meeting with senior state government officials in Mumbai headed by chief secretary Rajesh Aggarwal. Aggarwal drew the central team's attention to water shortages caused by inadequate rainfall in parts of Maharashtra, the potential need for water tankers and other issues faced by agricultural labourers and land holders dependent on farming. He also told the team that the rapid evaporation of water would be a major issue in the near future and pointed to the possibility of labour migration. Based on the data presented by the state government, the central team has divided itself into three groups. One group will visit various parts of Marathwada, including Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Beed and Jalna while the second one will visit Ahilya Nagar, Solapur and Pune in western Maharashtra. The third group will visit Nagpur and Yavatmal in Vidarbha. The groups will conduct on-the-spot assessments of the drought situation and water shortage....