Compensation of Rs 800 crore to Marathwada

Heavy rains: Soybean crop on 4.13 lakh hectares damaged

Aurangabad, Aug 23:

A revised order to provide compensation at an increased rate to the farmers in the State including Marathwada who sustained loss due to heavy rains during the kharif season was issued on August 22. As per the order, Rs 807 crore has been allocated for compensation of crops in Marathwada where more than 33 percent of the crops have been damaged. The divisional commissionerate submitted a report to the government as per the increased rates.

An aid of Rs 13,600 per hectare will be provided for damage on non-irrigated land up to a limit of three hectares. A compensation of Rs 27,000 per hectare will be provided for irrigated land up to three hectares and Rs 36,000 per hectare for the compensation of perennial crops up to three hectares. So far crops on 5.81 lakh hectares have been damaged in Marathwada. It is being said that the government will take a decision to help the farmers only after September 30.

Severe loss of Soybean and cotton

Crops on 8.1 lakh hectares were damaged in Hingoli, Nanded and Latur districts. This includes Soybean crop on 4.13 lakh hectares, Cotton crop on 1.15 lakh hectares, sorghum on 8,341 hectares, Tur on 18,416 hectares, Mung on 104 hectares and other crops on 25,680 hectares. Also, 9,013 farmers lost vegetables, wheat, sugarcane, turmeric and other crops on 5,040 hectares. The orchards on 646 hectares belonging to 1,643 farmers were also damaged due to rains.

Damage to all types of crops

As per the report, the government will provide a compensation of Rs 791 crores for non-irrigated land, Rs 13 crores for irrigated land and Rs 3 crores for compensation of orchards. The area of more than three inches of soil washed away is 489 hectares, for which a demand of Rs 1.5 crores is proposed.