Maharashtra Govt firmly behind farmers – Fadnavis
Mumbai, Nov 1, 2019: Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis today directed the state machinery to reach to the farmers and console them on the damage caused to the crops due to unseasonal rains. The regional level systems should work with utmost care and sensitivity and have proper coordination for doing panchnamas, the Chief Minister said.
Fadnavis today took the detail review of damages caused due to unseasonal rains to farmers’ crops and the measures taken by the government at a meeting held at ‘Varsha’ government residence. A cabinet sub-committee meeting would be convened tomorrow (Saturday) regarding the crop damages faced by the farmers, he said.
The meeting was attended by Chief Secretary Ajoy Mehta, CM’s Principal Secretary Bhushan Gagrani, Principal Secretary of PWD Manoj Saunik, Principal Secretary of Cooperative Department Abha SHukla, Secretary of Agriculture and Dairy Development Eknath Davle, Secretary of Relief and Rehabilitation Kishor Raje Nimbalkar , Konkan Divisional Commissioner Shivaji Daund, secretaries of various departments, besides the officers of Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) and various insurance companies.
On this occasion Chief Minister Fadnavis talked to divisional commissioners and collectors through video conferencing and took detail information about the crop damage from them. He directed them to consider the photographs of crop damages taken by the farmers as valid proofs of damages.
The Chief Minister said that excessive rains were received this year. The intensity of rainfall was more in second and third week of October along with four super cyclones in the Arabian Sea. Therefore, the administration should handle the entire situation with utmost sensitivity and according top priority to it. They should listen to woes of each and every farmer and for this make arrangement as were made during the drought situation and WhatsApp numbers should be made available for this purpose. The government is keeping a watch on the situation and guardian ministers and public representatives should visit the spots to assess the situation. Jowar, Maze, Paddy, Tur, Cotton, Soyabean and fruits have suffered extensive damages due to this rainfall he said directing to undertake immediate drone survey of the affected areas.
According to video conferencing review and primary reports crops on 54.22 lakh ha in 325 talukas have been damaged due to rainfall.
Division-wise damages are estimated as follows: Konkan (46 talukas/97000 ha), Nasik (52 talukas/16 lakh ha), Pune (51 talukas/1.36 lakh ha), Aurangabad (72 talukas/22 lakh ha), Amravati (56 talukas/ 12 lakh ha), and Nagpur (48 talukas/ 40000 ha.)
On an average, horticulture on 53,000 ha,, paddy on 1.44 lakh ha, jowar on 2 lakh ha, bajra on 2 lakh ha, maize on 5 lakh ha, soyabean on 19 lakh ha and cotton on 19 lakh ha are damged due to unseasonal rains.
