Congress, NCP meet guv, demand ₹50K-₹1L per hectare for farmers

The Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) met Maharashtra governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari on Tuesday, urging him to direct the state administration to offer

The Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) met Maharashtra governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari on Tuesday, urging him to direct the state administration to offer a compensation of ₹50,000 to ₹1 lakh for every hectare to farmers for the losses sustained owing to unseasonal rain. The Opposition, led by Ajit Pawar and Balasaheb Thorat, also slammed the government for not extending timely relief to farmers hit by the natural calamity.

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The governor has directed chief secretary Ajoy Mehta to convene a meeting of crop insurance companies to expedite the process of settlement of claims to give relief to the farmers. The governor’s office also forwarded the memorandum submitted by the Congress-NCP to the chief secretary.

NCP leaders Chhagan Bhujbal, Jayant Patil, Sunil Tatkare, Nawab Malik and Congress leaders Sharad Ranpise, Yashomati Thakur, Amit Deshmukh, too, were part of the delegation.

The unseasonal rain has destroyed crops on more than 54.22 lakh hectares in 34 districts over the past three weeks, according to the preliminary estimates by the government machinery. The district administration has been directed to complete the panchnamas (survey of losses) by Wednesday and start disbursing relief to farmers.

Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat said: “Losses suffered by farmers and fisherfolk are unprecedented and farmers in every corner of the state have been affected. The rain has hit vegetables, fruits, oilseeds, pulses and cereals. Fisherfolk have not been able to venture into the sea for the past six months. They should be given relief immediately, but the BJP has failed to form the government even 11 days after the verdict.”

Thorat alleged the government has even failed to give the relief announced to the flood-hit people of Kolhapur, Sangli and Satara in August. “The government had demanded a relief package of ₹6800 crore from the Centre, but there is no word on it.”

NCP leader Ajit Pawar said ₹10,000-crore relief announced by the government was insufficient and it should make a provision for ₹25,000 crore. “The damage is unprecedented,” he said. Pawar alleged insurance companies are focusing on profiteering, instead of compensating the farmers.