Gujarat CM visits two villages in Gir-Somnath, Junagadh districts to assess crop damage due to rains

Ahmedabad, Nov 3 (PTI) Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel visited two villages in Gir-Somnath and Junagadh districts on Monday to understand the ground situation in view of damage to crops caused by the recent spell of unseasonal rains.

An official release said he visited Kadvasan in Gir-Somnath and Panidhra village in Junagadh to meet affected farmers and review the situation on the ground.

Earlier on October 29, Patel had ordered a survey to assess the loss incurred by the farmers so that a relief package can be announced.

During his visit at Kadvasan in Kodinar taluka, Patel walked into the fields and inspected the crops destroyed by unseasonal rain in the last week of October.

The CM, accompanied by local MLAs and minister Arjun Modhwadia, listened to the grievances of the farmers and assured them his government will take "appropriate" steps.

The CM told the farmers his government has always stood by farmers and that is why the survey of damage is being carried out on war footing.

Prior to this visit, Patel conducted real-time monitoring from Gandhinagar and held high-level meetings to get a full picture about the damage to the farmers' crops, and also gave instructions to prepare a detailed report about the crop loss, said the release.

"The survey has already started and it has so far covered 70 per cent of the affected areas. The relevant departments, including the Agriculture Department, are working 24 X 7 under the direction of the Chief Minister to complete the survey work in the remaining areas as well," said the release.

In order to provide farmers with the fastest possible assistance against damage caused to crops, more than 4,800 teams have been conducting a survey on a war footing in the affected districts, it said.

According to preliminary estimates, unseasonal rains have damaged crops in more than 16,000 villages in 249 talukas of the state.

Patel assured farmers the state government would announce a generous relief package very soon after the survey is completed, said the release. PTI PJT BNM