Pune: With large parts of Maharashtra facing deficient rainfall during the ongoing kharif season, state govt has told officials from the agriculture, revenue and rural development departments to conduct an immediate survey of crop damage.The assessment will identify farmers affected by the prolonged dry spell and estimate losses. Based on the survey findings, state govt will decide the compensation package, and other relief measures, for the impacted cultivators across the state.The decision for the survey was taken at a cabinet meeting, headed by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, earlier this week. An agriculture department official said the survey would start in the next few days.Agriculture minister Datta Bharne said the situation in Maharashtra was challenging because there had hardly been any rainfall activity after July. “Thane, parts of Kolhapur, Konkan and the surrounding areas of Mumbai got most of the rain. The CM has told the departments concerned to start taking measures to help the affected farmers,” he said.Teams comprising agriculture, revenue and rural development officials will jointly conduct the surveys across the state. “Several districts from Marathwada, western Maharashtra and Vidarbha reported below-normal rainfall in Aug. Farmers across the state are in distress because of nil to very little rain after the sowing phase in July,” Bharne said.Once the survey report is submitted to state govt, the compensation will be decided for the affected farmers as per the NDRF and SDRF criteria.The opposition wants state govt to redress water scarcity in some districts and release financial assistance to the affected farmers at the earliest.NCP (SP) working president Supriya Sule said, “State govt is insensitive towards the farmers’ woes. It made tall claims of a loan waiver scheme. But in reality, they have hardly received any relief. The state should not delay release of compensation for the farmers who are in distress because of a drought-like situation.”
