State releases ₹2,059 crore for farmers

The state government on Tuesday released ₹2,059 crore towards relief for farmers who lost their crops in the unseasonal rain.

The state government on Tuesday released ₹2,059 crore towards relief for farmers who lost their crops in the unseasonal rain.

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On November 16, Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari had announced a compensation of ₹8,000 per hectare for the loss of agriculture crop and ₹18,000 a hectare for the loss of horticulture and perennial crops. The state estimated ₹8,000 crore as the cost of compensation to 1.04 crore farmers for their loss on 93.89 lakh hectares of farmland.

The state has released ₹2,059 crore from its rehabilitation funds, while the provision for the remaining amount will be made through the contingency fund.

For releasing the remaining funds, the state has approached the Central government to pass a bill to amend the Maharashtra Contingency Act.

“Since the budgetary provision for the relief is possible only through the supplementary demands during the winter session of the Assembly and since the house is not in the session we will have to table a bill for amending the Maharashtra Contingency Act. Currently, the contingency fund has an outlay of ₹150 crore and needs to be expanded to accommodate additional provisions. During the President’s rule, bills are passed in the Parliament,” said an official from the relief and rehabilitation department.