Survey of flood damage almost over; Maharashtra chief minister hints at relief before Dussehra

Amid growing demand of compensation for a massive crop loss suffered due to retreating monsoon, chief minister Uddhav Thackeray said that the spot survey to ascertain

Amid growing demand of compensation for a massive crop loss suffered due to retreating monsoon, chief minister Uddhav Thackeray said that the spot survey to ascertain the damage is nearly complete and hinted that the compensation could be announced in a couple of days. Thackeray toured Osmanabad district on Wednesday and visited some flood-affected villages.

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Farmers from more than 10 districts of central and western Maharashtra have sustained heavy losses to harvest-ready crops on more than 10 lakh hectares. Crops of soybean, sugarcane, cotton and pulses like moong, urad have suffered major losses. Solapur, Sangli and Satara in western Maharashtra and Osmanabad, Latur and Beed in central Maharashtra saw maximum rainfall last week. More than 60 people died due to downpour in these districts last week.

Thackeray refrained from announcing any financial aid during the visit but said that nearly 80% of spot inspections have been completed by the district administration and the state cabinet will meet on Thursday or Friday following which an announcement is expected.

“The spot inspections are nearly 80-90% completed; we have got an estimate. In a day or two, the [state] cabinet will meet. Whatever we decide will be to bring your life back on track,” Thackeray told a group of farmers gathered in a village in Kategaon taluka of the district.

Later, speaking to reporters, the chief minister said, “My nature is to carry out work properly. To start something with much show and then get stuck in between is of no use. Similarly, announcing something which I cannot do, is also useless. While I am speaking to you, the work on finalising compensation is on in Mumbai. Day after its Dussehra, then Diwali will follow, in the time of festivals I will not allow my people to have tears in their eyes.”

Thackeray lamented that in the absence of Goods and Service Tax (GST) compensation due from the Centre, the state was unable to announce an immediate relief package. He added that the state government is also looking at borrowing funds for giving out financial aid to farmers.

“A large sum of the fund is yet to come to us from the Centre. If the money that is owed to us would have been in our hands, then we would have given aid as Telangana has done. The GST compensation owed to us is our right and it must be given to us. Once that comes, we can make changes but so far there is no sign of it. In such a scenario, we are exploring all options including borrowing funds. We will decide on it a day or two,” the chief minister said.

In a response to former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, who had replayed old video clips of Thackeray and deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar wherein the two leaders had gone to flood-affected areas when Fadnavis was the chief minister in October last year and demanded compensation without spot surveys.

Thackeray, during his visit to flood-affected areas, had demanded a compensation of Rs 50,000 per hectare for crop losses. “Yes, my clip is viral, but when I demanded that there was no Covid or the GST was not stuck. I am sincerely saying that whatever is possible to do for our farmers we will do it,” he said.

The CM also said that he has no time to look at the Fadnavis’ criticism where he had termed CM’s behaviour as “flippant”. “I don’t have time to listen to their criticism. My attention is towards my farmers and my people, I don’t have time to look at these ‘thillar-chillar’ (loose change),” he told reporters in Osmanabad.

The chief minister said that they are also going to meet representatives of insurance companies as there are some issues with crop insurance scheme in the state.