Maha govt announces additional aid of Rs 755 crore for crop losses

Maharashtra government has announced that more than six lakh farmers in the state who lost crops due to heavy rains but were not eligible for aid under the existing criteria will get financial assistance of Rs 755 crore under a special scheme.

Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Devendra Fadnavis made the announcement on Twitter after a sub-committee for expediting assistance to calamity-hit farmers met here. The meeting was chaired by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and attended by Fadnavis and rural development minister Girish Mahajan.

The state had already disbursed Rs 3,600 crore to 30 lakh farmers, said Fadnavis. There were another six lakh affected farmers who did not fulfill the criteria for aid as their regions had not recorded 65 mm or more rainfall in 24 hours. They would be covered under the new package. The affected area under cultivation for which this aid will be given is 5,49,646 hectares, Fadnavis further added.