Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday said the state government would issue an order Friday, 25, to provide immediate assistance to farmers affected by drought, under the first trigger of the state's drought relief norms.
Fadnavis visited drought-affected areas in Washim and Amravati districts to take stock of the situation. He said the entire Amravati division had been affected by drought, putting crops under severe stress. “We have undertaken this visit to provide relief to farmers and assess the situation on the ground,” Fadnavis said.
Drought relief measures announced
After touring drought-hit areas in Washim, the Chief Minister held discussions at Amravati airport with Divisional Commissioner Nayana Gunde and the district collectors of Amravati and Washim. He later addressed the media.
He said some areas may have been left out of the initial assessment and would be included under the third trigger of the drought relief mechanism. Given the widespread drought conditions, relief measures would be undertaken across the affected areas, he said.
The Chief Minister said the government would also take measures to address fodder and water shortages and provide foodgrain assistance wherever required. Direct assistance would be provided to ensure that the education of farmers' children is not disrupted because of the drought, he said.
Support for farmers and Rabi crops
The government will assess the availability of water for taking up Rabi crops in areas where water resources are still available and provide assistance to farmers for Rabi cultivation.
Fadnavis also said the government would focus on water conservation works to generate employment in drought-affected areas. Desilting of dried-up water bodies and repairs to ponds and other water conservation structures requiring maintenance would be taken up, he said.
“Since the crop situation is similar across the affected areas, the state government has formulated a relief policy,” Fadnavis said, adding that efforts would be made to ensure that the assistance reaches farmers before Diwali.
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Loan waivers and procurement
On farm loan waivers, the Chief Minister said the state government had implemented a loan waiver and that the waived amount was being credited to farmers' accounts. Banks would be required to provide fresh loans to eligible farmers as per the rules, he said.
He also announced that government procurement of agricultural produce at the prescribed support prices would be undertaken and registration for the procurement process would begin shortly.
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