Mumbai: The Maharashtra government on Tuesday unveiled a compensation package worth ₹31,628 crore for farmers affected by recent heavy rains and floods. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis stated that farmers will receive ₹47,000 per hectare in cash and ₹3 lakh per hectare under the Employment Guarantee Scheme for damaged farmland. For livestock losses, compensation will be ₹32,000 per animal.
Out of the 1.43 lakh hectares sown at the start of monsoon, crops across 68 lakh hectares were damaged, with 60,000 hectares affected by topsoil erosion. The floods impacted 29 districts and 253 talukas.
The relief package also covers crop losses, soil erosion, hospitalization of injured persons, ex-gratia payments to next-of-kin, damage to houses, shops, and cattle sheds. Farmers will additionally receive ₹10,000 per hectare and ₹30,000 per damaged well.
Fadnavis stressed that the government aims to prepare farmers for the Rabi season, with compensation to be directly credited to their bank accounts. 45 lakh farmers with crop insurance will receive ₹17,000 per hectare as insurance payouts.
Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde assured that farmers will not face a “dark Diwali” and promised aid despite financial constraints. The state has also sought central assistance from the Union government, according to Shinde.
A loan waiver will be announced later, with the current priority being to help farmers recover immediately. Fadnavis countered claims by Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, stating that crop loans were waived during his first term, whereas the Thackeray government did not provide promised assistance to farmers who had repaid loans regularly.
