Central team arrives in Maharashtra for crop damage assessment

A central team on Friday began its three-day visit to Marathwada region of Maharashtra to carry out assessment of crop damage caused by recent unseasonal rains. The team, which comprises two officials from the Centre's Agriculture Department, arrived in Aurangabad on Friday. On the first day, it is scheduled to visit Sillod, Phulambri and Kannad talukas, a statement from the district collectorate said.

On Saturday, the team will visit Gevrai, Majalgaon, Dharur and Wadhwani in Beed district, while on Sunday it will go to Badnapur, Bhokardan and Jaffrabad in Jalna district, it added. According to an official, the team will observe the damage to crops, including maize, grapes, soybean, cotton and bajra, across these three districts.

Unseasonal showers and delayed retreat of monsoon has affected farmers in parts of the state, especially in Aurangabad, Amravati and Nashik divisions. Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari had on November 16 announced financial relief to farmers whose crop was damaged in unseasonal rains, and ordered its immediate disbursal.

The relief entails Rs 8,000 per hectare up to two hectares for agricultural Kharif crops and Rs 18,000 per hectare up to two hectares for horticulture/perennial crops. Earlier this month, the then chief minister Devendra Fadnavis had approved Rs 10,000 crore as a special assistance for affected farmers.