Maharashtra govt announces Rs 31,628 cr aid for rain-hit farmers, says loan waiver in due course

Mumbai, Oct 7 (PTI) The Maharashtra government on Tuesday announced a compensation package of Rs 31,628 crore for farmers who suffered massive losses due to rains and floods, asserting the total assistance will be Rs 48,000 per hectare.

The government will also announce a farm loan waiver in due course, said Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, adding a comprehensive memorandum on the losses suffered by cultivators was being prepared for submission to the Centre.

Opposition parties, however, dubbed the relief package "hollow" and "too meagre" to help agriculturists rebuild their lives, and demanded a more "robust" assistance as well as a concrete rehabilitation plan.

"This is a comprehensive compensation package of Rs 31,628 crore for farmers who suffered massive losses in recent rains and floods. This package represents an unprecedented effort by the state government to stand firmly with every affected citizen and farmer in this time of crisis," said Fadnavis while addressing a press conference after chairing a cabinet meeting, flanked by his deputies Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar.

The government will provide Rs 47,000 in cash and Rs 3 lakh through aid under the Employment Guarantee Scheme for every hectare of farmland damaged by floods, the CM stated.

The package includes compensation for crop losses, life and property, soil erosion, direct financial support to farmers, concessions generally extended in drought-like conditions, hospitalisation expenses, ex gratia, damage to houses, shops, and cattle sheds.

"The government will announce a loan waiver in due course, but the priority at the moment was to help farmers stand on their feet again," the chief minister emphasised.

Notably, Opposition parties for long have been demanding a loan waiver for farmers.

As many as 29 of the total 36 districts and 253 (out of 358) talukas suffered due to heavy rains, the chief minister informed.

While sowing had taken place over a total of 1.43 lakh hectares at the start of the monsoon, crops over 68 lakh hectares of land were damaged, Fadnavis said, adding as much as 60,000 hectares of farmland were damaged due to the top layer of soil getting washed away.

Additionally, Rs 10,000 per hectare and Rs 30,000 per damaged well will be given to affected farmers, the CM declared.

The government's priority was to strengthen farmers so that they are ready for the coming rabi (winter) season, he said, adding compensation will be transferred to farmers' bank accounts.

He said 45 lakh famers, who have crop insurance, will get Rs 17,000 per hectare.

Total assistance for affected farmers will be Rs 48,000 per hectare. The crop insurance payout (estimated) is Rs 5,000 crore. Additionally, Rs 1,500 crore will be reserved under the District Planning and Development Council (DPDC) for immediate relief efforts, Fadnavis maintained.

The kin of persons killed in rain-related incidents will get Rs 4 lakh each, while the injured persons will be given amounts ranging from Rs 74,000 to Rs 2.5 lakh.

The package also provides a Rs 5,000 aid per family whose household utensils and goods were damaged, and Rs 5,000 for damage caused to clothes and personal items. Small shop owners and street vendors will get Rs 50,000.

Fully damaged pucca (concrete) houses in hilly areas will get Rs 1,20,000, while kutchha houses in hilly regions will get Rs 1,30,000. The financial assistance for partially damaged houses is Rs 6,500, and Rs 8,000 and Rs 3,000, respectively, for huts and cattle sheds.

As to the loss of livestock, farmers will receive Rs 37,500 per animal for milch animals, Rs 32,000 for draught animals, and Rs 100 per bird.

"The government will extend assistance beyond NDRF (National Disaster Response Fund) norms, increasing the limit from 2 hectares to 3 hectares. An additional Rs 10,000 crore will be provided to ensure aid is transferred directly into farmers' bank accounts", Fadnavis added.

The CM announced a series of relief measures usually implemented in drought-hit areas, which will now be extended to flood-affected regions.

Measures such as land revenue waiver, restructuring of crop loans, suspension of agricultural loan recovery, and waiver of electricity dues have already been announced.

The CM stated that school and college examination fees for children of farmers will be waived, MGNREGA work conditions will be relaxed, and there will be no disconnection of power supply to agricultural pumps.

On Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray's claim that farm loan waiver had been given when he was chief minister (November 2019-June 2022), Fadnavis insisted crop loans were waived during his (Fadnavis') first term in office (2014 to 2019).

The Thackeray government did not fulfil its assurance of assistance to farmers who repaid their loans regularly, and it was Eknath Shinde who did it when he was CM (June 2022-November 2024), stated Fadnavis.

Shinde said farmers should not lose hope, and the government will ensure they do not face a "dark Diwali".

"Farmers will get aid notwithstanding a financial crunch", he said, adding, "We met (Union minister) Amit Shah and sought Central assistance".

The Congress said the flood relief amount was nothing but a mockery of farmers' suffering. The NCP (SP) described it as a "blueprint for deception" that rubs salt into cultivators' wounds as it will "push them further into the trap of debt".

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Ambadas Danve said the demand for a loan waiver was yet to be fulfilled and the government has not provided Rs 50,000 per hectare aid to farmers.

Heavy rainfall and floods in September severely affected Marathwada and adjoining regions, destroying crops on 68.69 lakh hectares across the state. PTI MR PR NP KRK NSK RSY