Maharashtra Farmers to Get Aid for Untimely Rains

Mumbai, May 30 (PTI) Compensation will be provided to farmers affected by unseasonal rains and storms in Maharashtra after completion of damage assessment exercise, state Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule said on Friday.
The unseasonal rains and storms that struck in April and May have caused extensive damage to crops and fruit plantations in different districts, including Amravati in the Vidarbha region.
"We will provide immediate compensation to farmers. I have asked officials to complete damage assessment exercise and submit a report at the earliest," said Bawankule, who is also the Guardian Minister of Amravati district.
Efforts are underway to ensure prompt disbursal of compensation to the affected cultivators, he said in Amravati.
Immediate crop damage assessment (panchnamas) must be completed by officials and a proposal submitted to the state secretariat in Mumbai, the minister noted.
"We will expedite the process of fund allocation, and compensation will be disbursed to farmers without delay," Bawankule assured.
He reviewed the damage caused by the untimely rains and directed divisional commissioners and district collectors to take up the compensation proposal process on priority.

"Timely support is critical. I have instructed the administration to act swiftly to ensure that the affected farmers receive relief," he stated.
According to preliminary reports, unseasonal rains and storms in April damaged 794 hectares of banana, orange and papaya plantations besides onion and wheat crops across 1,174 villages with losses estimated at Rs 2.83 crore.
In May, damage was reported across 13,639 hectares in 325 villages, affecting moong, sesame, banana, orange, papaya, onion, jowar, and lemon crops, Bawankule said.
The rains also caused human and livestock losses.
Three lives were lost due to lightning strikes at different places in May. In April, partial damage was reported to 18 homes and one house was fully destroyed due to downpour, the minister said.
In May, 741 homes were damaged and livestock shelters were also affected, Bawankule said.
He noted that 29 small and 12 large livestock animals died in the unseasonal rains in May.
"The process of distributing ex-gratia aid to the families of the deceased and livestock assistance to the animal owners was underway," Bawankule said.