Vidarbha package still on paper

The state government indicated it would furnish details related to crop damages after conducting the survey in the next 10 to 15 days.

“The Centre cannot process the package for Vidarbha farmers since the state government has not put up a formal proposal as yet. The ministry of finance has sought a detailed report on Vidarbha rains and magnitude of crop loss. At present,there is no provision for rain-affected people. The state needs to justify its demand through statistics,which are lacking,” a senior Union Cabinet minister from Maharashtra said.

Heavy rains in Vidarbha this year has killed more than 200 people and damaged crops spread across four lakh hectares of land in Chandrapur,Wardha,Yavatmal,Gondia,Gadchiroli and Bhandara.

A senior official in the state’s relief and rehabilitation department too said the survey to assess crop damage and sending a report to the Centre would take some time. “The survey work will take some time as rains continue to lash some parts of Vidarbha. Unless we quantify the losses of crops,disbursement cannot be extended.”

State BJP president Devendra Fadnavis admits,“ The state government’s assurance cannot bring relief to the suffering farmers. There is no urgency in the government to reach out to the rain-affected families in remote areas of Vidarbha.”

Political leaders from Vidarbha,cutting across party lines,have urged the state administration to relax rigid rules to facilitate the local administrators to reach out to affected families.

According to Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti chief Kishore Tiwari,“The total damage to crops and fields would amount to Rs 20,000 crore since official figures too say crop spread across 10 lakh hectares were completely or partially damaged.”