Rs 10,000/ha aid for farmers from North Maharashtra, Konkan: Government

NAGPUR:Coming to the rescue of farmers hit by unseasonal rains and hailstorms in North Maharashtra and Konkan regions, the Maharashtra government, on Tuesday, declared an aid of Rs 10,000 per hectare for dryland farmers and Rs 15,000 per hectare for the fruit growers.
Replying to the debate under Rule 101 tabled by former chief minister Ajit Pawar, Vijay Wadettiwar, Chhagan Bhujbal and others, for highlighting plight of farmers who were twice hit by the natural calamities last month and also last week, revenue minister Eknath Khadse said apart from this aid, the affected farmers would be also be eligible for some other schemes that were announced for the Vidarbha and Marathwada farmers.
“Concessions like waiver on electricity bills for three months and bank loan waiver for three years would also be extended to them by restructuring the Rs 7,000 package announced for Vidarbha and Marathwada farmers,” he said.
Almost entire North Maharashtra and Konkan regions, including Nashik, Jalgaon, Raigad, Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg, Pune, Satara, Kolhapur and Solapur, had taken a hit. Crops over one lakh hectares across 32 towns and 893 villages had been damaged just last week. Nashik bore the maximum brunt of both calamities.
The minister explained that earlier the government used to give Rs 4,500 per hectare help to such farmers, but the BJP-Shiv Sena government had decided to provide special grant of Rs 5,500 per hectare, thus providing Rs 10,000 hectare in total. Similarly fruit growers used to get Rs 9,000 per hectare aid which was extended by Rs 6,000 to make it Rs 15,000 per hectare and even banana was included in the list.
Khadse also announced compensation of Rs 2.5 lakh for the families of those who lost lives in the hailstorm. Earlier, it was Rs 1 lakh of which Rs 70,000 used to be deposited in their bank accounts while remaining amount used to be handed over to them. “We’ve increased it to Rs 1.5 lakh and we’re also providing additional Rs 1 lakh from the CM’s fund. This amount is apart from Rs 1.5 lakh they will get towards their accidental insurance scheme.”
The government would also compensate owners who lost animals in the calamities. For cows, bulls and buffaloes it is Rs 25,000, middle sizes ones like donkeys Rs 10,000 and small ones like sheep Rs 5,000. For concrete houses that were damaged, Rs 70,000 would be given and for hutments, Rs 25,000 would be provided. For partly damaged houses, Rs 15,000 would be given. In case of soil being washed away due to incessant rains, Rs 20,000 per hectare aid would be provided.
The minister also informed about importing special nets used in Italy and Spain for protecting fruit growers from hailstorm and birds, but only after getting import duty waiver from the centre, as plans for permanent solution.