THE State Government is considering depositing 25% advance of the crop insurance amount in farmers’ accounts before Diwali, said Maharashtra’s Agriculture Minister Dhananjay Munde. The incessant rains which took place on September 23 in Nagpur devastated crops on a large scale. Munde was in city to review the damages as per the instructions from Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Two days ago, Relief and Rehabilitation Minister Anil Patil, too, had visited Nagpur. Farmers in Nagpur district suffered huge losses due to pests on Soyabean crops. The damage to the crops was mainly de to heavy rains and use of bogus chemical fertilisers. Munde inspected the farms during his visit to Adyali, Umargaon, Pachgaon, and Virkhandi villages. Farmers met him and handed over the memorandum of various demands. The farmers informed the minister that Yellow Mosaic Virus was troubling them due to which they suffered losses. At many places, farmers showed how the rains had damaged their entire standing crop.

 

While interacting with farmers, Munde said, “This year, a record Rs 1.70 crore crop insurance has been registered in Maharashtra. The Government had asked farmers just to pay Re one, and the rest of the premium was contributed by the Government, which is a first such insurance of its kind in the country. The farmers who suffered losses will get 25% amount of crop insurance compensation before Diwali. At some places, over 65 mm rain for more than 4 hours was witnessed. The farmers living at such places will get help as per the rules of State Disaster Relief Fund (SDRF) and National Disaster Relief Fund (NDRF). We will raise this subject in the Cabinet meeting to be held on Tuesday,” he said.

 

In Nagpur district, crops in 82 zones under revenue sections faced losses, of which 62 are the most affected. The Revenue and Agriculture Department has been asked to submit an updated proposal regarding this issue. Ramtek MP Krupal Tumane, ex-MLA and Bharatiya Janata Party’s District President Sudhakar Kohale, MLA Tekchand Sawarkar, MLA Raju Parve, District Collector Dr Vipin Itankar, Chief Executive Officer of Zilla Parishad Saumya Sharma, Divisional Agriculture Superintendent Milind Shende, District Agriculture Officer Ravindra Manohare and others also were present.