Gujarat Cabinet clears ₹1,420 crore relief for farmers: Raghavji Patel

The financial assistance aims to provide much-needed support in the face of significant agricultural losses , the minister said

Ahmedabad: The Gujarat government on Wednesday announced a ₹1,419.62 crore relief package to support 7 lakh farmers affected by heavy rains across the state, the state government announced on Wednesday after a cabinet meeting chaired by chief minister Bhupendra Patel.

Gujarat agriculture minister Raghavji Patel said the financial assistance would be granted based on SDRF norms

The financial assistance aims to help those whose crops were damaged by more than 33% and provide much-needed support in the face of significant agricultural losses in 20 districts of the state, agriculture minister Raghavji Patel said after the cabinet meeting. The assistance is subject to a maximum limit of two hectares per account holder.

“In total, 136 talukas and 6,812 villages were affected. To assess the extent of damage, a thorough survey was conducted by 1,218 teams across the affected regions. Based on the survey’s findings, approximately 7 lakh farmers will be eligible for financial assistance as part of this package,”

The heavy rains that lashed the state led to crop damage in several districts of Gujarat, including Panchmahal, Navsari, Surendranagar, Devbhumi Dwarka, Kheda, Anand, Vadodara, Morbi, Jamnagar, Kutch, Tapi, Dahod, Rajkot, Dang, Ahmedabad, Bharuch, Junagadh, Surat, Patan, and Chhota Udepur, the government said.

“Farmers who have experienced crop damage exceeding 33% will be eligible for assistance. The state government has also allocated an additional ₹322.33 crore from its budget to supplement the SDRF compensation, offering enhanced aid to farmers facing severe losses,” the minister said.

Farmers who cultivated rain-fed crops during the Kharif season of 2024-2025 and experienced more than 33% crop damage will receive ₹8,500 per hectare under SDRF norms, according to a government statement. In addition, the government will also provide an additional ₹2,500 per hectare, raising the per hectare assistance to ₹11,000.

The compensation for farmers with irrigated crops would be ₹17,000 per hectare, with an additional ₹5,000 from the state budget, raising the total to ₹22,000 per hectare. For perennial horticultural crops, compensation will be ₹22,500 per hectare for losses exceeding 33%.

A minimum of ₹3,500 compensation will be paid to each affected farmer.

Patel said ₹475.71 crore will be allocated for rain-fed crops, ₹942.54 crore for irrigated crops, and ₹1.37 crore for perennial horticultural crops.