Announcing one of the biggest farm relief packages amid the crop damages mainly in the Marathwada region, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday announced a Rs 31,628-crore package for the flood-hit regions of the state. “We cannot compensate 100 per cent losses but we have decided to put in as much resources as possible to ensure that farmers rise back to their feet,” Fadnavis said. As per the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) rules, aid for non-irrigated land is Rs 8,500 per hectare, Rs 17,000 per hectare for seasonal irrigated land and Rs 22,500 per hectare for irrigated land. “Accordingly, it has been decided to provide Rs 6,175 crore to farmers. Besides, an additional Rs 10,000 per hectare will be provided to farmers to help them sow the rabi crop,” Fadnavis said. The CM said 45 lakh farmers are insured in Maharashtra. In addition to the aid package announced by Fadnavis, insured farmers who have completely lost their crops will get an insurance amount of Rs 17,000 per hectare. Those with dry land will get Rs 35,000 per hectare and those with irrigated land will get more than Rs 50,000 per hectare. Crops were cultivated on 1.43 crore hectares in Maharashtra this year. Out of this, crops on approximately 68.69 lakh hectares have been damaged. Some of this land is partially damaged while a large area of land is showing complete crop loss. Damage has been mainly reported in 29 districts. “The government will ensure crop compensation of around Rs 18,000 crore is given to farmers before Diwali,” the CM said. For eroded (washed out) land where new soil needs to be put, financial assistance of Rs 47,000 per hectare will be provided in cash, and Rs 3 lakh per hectare will be provided through NREGA. Thus, a total assistance of around Rs 3.5 lakh per hectare will be provided for reclaimed land. To help the restoration of damaged wells, which is not a part of the NDRF norms, Rs 30,000 per well be provided to remove the silt. Fadnavis said Rs 10,000 crore will be provided for infrastructure works in the flood-hit areas and Rs 1,500 crore reserved in DPDC for emergency relief. Referring to the announcement of wet drought, the CM said that the state government will take whatever measures are needed in a situation where there is scarcity or drought. It includes land revenue exemption, crop loan restructuring, moratorium on agricultural loan recovery, electricity bill waiver of farm pumps (which has already been announced), waiver of school and college examination fees etc. Maharashtra’s Opposition parties on Tuesday termed it a clever play of numbers and a mockery of farmers’ plight and slammed the state government stating that the government has extended meagre help to devastated farmers. Congress Legislative Party leader Vijay Wadettiwar criticised the aid announced terming it as a mockery of farmers. He also questioned when the government would waive off farmers’ loans. “The Mahayuti government is making a mockery of farmers. At least 781 farmers have committed suicide in Marathwada from January to September. At least 74 farmers have committed suicide in the last 15 days due to heavy rains. In such a situation, today the government has only inflated the aid figures. This is a mockery of farmers by the government,” Wadettiwar said. “Farmers’ land in the state has been eroded. Their livestock has been swept away. In such a time, farmers were expected to receive a total assistance of Rs 50,000 per hectare. In such a situation, the assistance provided as per the NDRF norms is meagre. This will not help the farmers, but will destroy them,” he said. The All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) said the state government cleverly declared money guaranteed through NDRF norms as a relief package. “The real package for farmers is of Rs 6,500 crore, which is additional to the NDRF norms. Including the crop insurance amount into the relief package is nothing but a cruel joke being played on farmers,” said Ajit Nawale, General Secretary, AIKS.
