Acting swiftly, Maharashtra Government has released an amount of Rs 3,501.7121 crore as aid to be distributed to farmers affected due to crop loss and damage to agricultural land due to excessive rainfall between June and August this year. Of this amount, the worst-hit Vidarbha region will get Rs 2,409.3827 crore. 

Earlier this week, the Divisional Commissioners of Nagpur and Amravati had sent respective proposals seeking aid from the State Government. On Thursday, Revenue and Forest Department issued a communication regarding release of aid to 33 districts in Maharashtra. The aid has been released in two categories -- compensation for crop damage, and compensation in case of flood waters washing away fertile layer of soil from agricultural lands. The total amount released as aid to total 27,65,727 farmers affected due to crop damage is Rs 3,445.2555 crore in the State. The total area in which crops were damaged in the State was 23,81,920.80 hectares. 

As far as Vidarbha region is concerned, all 11 districts were severely affected due to excessive rainfall and subsequent floods, which damaged the crops and also washed away fertile layer of soil from farmlands. Within the region, crops in 7,95,823.78 hectares were damaged in Amravati Division affecting 7,92,122 farmers. The Government has released an aid of Rs 1,196.76.66 crore for the five districts in the division. For Nagpur Division, the Government has released an aid of Rs 1,156.1939 crore, as crops in 7,97,634.92 hectares got damaged, affecting 8,62,984 farmers. Within the region, the districts of Amravati, Yavatmal, and Nagpur are the worst affected.

An aid of Rs 56.4566 has been released by the Government to be paid as compensation to farmers from whose farmlands fertile layer of soil was washed away. The total area involved is 23,683.27 hectares, in 12 districts of Maharashtra. Of these 12 affected districts, two are from Marathwada, and 10 are from Vidarbha region. In Vidarbha, 10,328.22 hectares of farmland was affected, and the aid released is Rs 21.5795 crore in five districts of Amravati Division except Washim. In Nagpur Division, area affected was 13,345.61 hectares, and the aid released is Rs 34.84.27 crore. 

State Government has made available the aid from State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) and own resources. Recently, the State Government increased the ceiling for compensation to farmers affected due to crop damage following excessive rains and flood. This aid is released accordingly.

Source - https://www.thehitavada.com