Washim/Amravati, Sep 24 Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday said his government will issue an order on September 25 to provide immediate drought relief to farmers.
Speaking to reporters at Amravati airport after visiting drought-affected areas of Washim district, Fadnavis said the Mahayuti government would provide assistance under Trigger 1 of the state’s drought relief code without waiting for financial assistance from the Centre.
“The order for providing assistance to farmers will be issued tomorrow,” he said.
There is a possibility that some areas may have been left out under the initial trigger, and such areas would be included under the third trigger, Fadnavis added.
Speaking to reporters amid his visits to Mhasla in Karanja taluka, Mohgavhan in Mangrulpir taluka and Jaulka in Malegaon taluk in Washim to assess crop and water situation issues amid drought-like conditions, the CM admitted the situation was “extremely serious”.
The CM spoke with farmers and inspected damaged soybean and pigeon pea crops. “We inspected the farms today. Tomorrow, we will initiate government resolution (GR) on dry drought and help all farmers,” Fadnavis said while interacting with farmers.
“There is no water anywhere. Crops have dried up, especially soybean, which has been greatly affected. Farmers have suffered losses,” he said while accepting the dry spell could trigger issues related to agriculture, fodder and drinking water.
Speaking about relief measures, the CM said the government had already begun loan waivers and will complete them soon, while electricity bills have also been waived.
Banks would have to provide loans to farmers who have received the waiver as per rules, he said. Banks will be told not go in for recoveries during this difficult time, the CM added.
“But along with these, farmers will now need direct assistance because in some places they may face fodder problems, in some places children’s education will be at risk, and in some places there will be a shortage of foodgrains. In all these, the government will help the affected farmers,” he said.
Farmers will get irrigation assistance for Rabi crops, he added.
Asked about Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray’s demand that a special session of the Maharashtra legislature be called to discuss the situation, Fadnavis said this is not a political issue.
“Why should there be politics when our farmers are in distress? We will figure out how to help farmers,” the CM said.
Fadnavis said focus would be on watershed-related works, including desilting dried-up water bodies and repairing or constructing water conservation structures, in order to generate employment.
The state has formulated a relief policy as crop conditions are similar across the affected areas, he said.
Efforts would be made to ensure farmers receive the assistance before Diwali, he said.
The government will procure agricultural produce at the prescribed support prices, and registration for the procurement would begin soon, Fadnavis said.
On the fire at a district government hospital, the chief minister said the inquiry report would be made public. He said the report had not been made public earlier to prevent the issue from becoming a subject of political controversy.
Fadnavis held discussions at Amravati airport with Divisional Commissioner Nayana Gunde and district collectors of Amravati and Washim after his visit to drought-affected areas.
(PTI News)
