Maharashtra extends financial aid of around Rs 200 Cr to help farmers affected by hailstorms

Mumbai, February 15: Maharashtra extends financial aid of Rs 200 Crores to help farmers whose crops were damaged due to hailstorm. Crops over 190,000 hectares were damaged in Vidarbha, Marathwada and North Maharashtra. 

The financial assistance around Rs 200 Crores will compensate affected farmers. Agriculture Minister Pandurang Fundkar said crops over 190,000 hectares were damaged in Vidarbha, Marathwada and North Maharashtra due to unseasonal rains accompanied by hailstorms.

Further Fundkar said farmers would be compensated as per the criteria fixed by the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF). Farmers who have not opted for the crop insurance scheme would also be compensated as per the NDRF criteria of maximum Rs18,000 per hectare, he added.

While survey is underway because the initial assessment covered only those 16 districts which were hit by the rains and hailstorm on 10 and 11 February, Fundkar said. Another five districts in Vidarbha came under the impact of hailstorm on 12 February and the final surveys would cover these districts, he added.

Compensation for horticulture farmers would range from Rs 40,000 per hectare for banana, Rs 36,700 for mango, Rs 23,300 for orange and sweet lemon, and Rs 20,000 for bitter lemon.

For dry-land farmers in Vidarbha and Marathwada, the compensation would range from Rs13,500 to Rs6,800 per hectare for the crops of jowar, maize, pulse, chana, wheat, and sunflower.