Maharashtra govt announces ₹10,000 crore compensation for flood-affected farmers

The compensation package, however, includes the amount already announced for the agricultural losses due to the downpour in Konkan, western Maharashtra and other parts of the state in July

Under fire from the opposition and the farmers’ organisations, the state government announced the package of ₹10,000 crore for the compensation to the farmers for the damages to the crops on 55 lakh hectares of land this monsoon since June. The package, however, includes the amount already announced for the agricultural losses due to the downpour in Konkan, western Maharashtra and other parts of the state in July.

Eight districts of central Maharashtra, many districts in Vidarbha and north Maharashtra suffered heavy losses of lives, livestock and the crops in last week of September.

Eight districts of central Maharashtra, many districts in Vidarbha and north Maharashtra suffered heavy losses of lives, livestock and the crops in last week of September. More than 1.2 million (mn) hectares under cultivation were damaged, more than 20 people had died in eight districts of central Maharashtra in September while the total damage suffered since June 1 was more than 2.5mn hectares. Opposition and farmers organisations had demanded to announce wet drought so that the farmers were adequately compensated. The agricultural crop losses in central Maharashtra alone is estimated to be ₹1,796 crore since June this year.

The state cabinet on Wednesday gave a nod to the package of ₹10,000 crore towards the compensation to the farmers whose crops were damaged this monsoon. The compensation has been announced at additional rates keeping the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) norms aside. “The cabinet has decided to extend the compensation of ₹10,000 a hectare for the crop losses on non-irrigated land; ₹15,000 per hectare for the losses of crops on irrigated land and ₹25,000 a hectare for the losses of perineal crops. The NDRF norms with the compensation rate ranging between ₹6,800 and ₹18000 have been increased and the state government will bear the burden,” said agriculture minister Dada Bhuse.

The compensation, however, includes the package of ₹11,500 crore announced towards the losses suffered in the downpour in Konkan, Western Maharashtra and other parts in the last week of July. “Around ₹1,500 crore of it was towards the compensation to the damages of agricultural damages, and ₹365 crore of it has already been disbursed. Around ₹554 crore towards the compensation for the non-agricultural losses has been disbursed so far. The package announced today is for the crop losses suffered across the state since the outset of the monsoon on June 1,” said an official from the relief and rehabilitation department.

The state government has submitted a memorandum of ₹1,659 crore to the Central government for the relief package as per the NDRF norms for the losses in the July downpour. The officer said that the spot assessment of the losses in September flooding is yet to be completed and the funds will be released as and when the reports are finalised.