Maharashtra govt gets EC`s nod on compensation for farmers

Mumbai: Maharashtra government on Thursday got a nod from the Election Commission of India to announce the relief package for the hailstorm-hit farmers.

Following the order Chief Secretary JS Saharia announced the relief package today at a press briefing. Crops on more than 20 lakh hectares have been destroyed due to the hailstorms, the assessment so far has revealed. The compensation for crops on non-irrigated and irrigated lands would be Rs 10,000 and Rs 15,000 a hectare, respectively, while the compensation for the horticultural cultivation would be Rs 25,000 a hectare. There would be a waiver of Rs 268 crore towards interest on crop loans and electricity bills of Rs 200 crore. Saharia said that the compensation of Rs 1 lakh will be given to the relatives of the farmers who committed suicide, while it would be Rs 1.5 lakh for the kin of those who died in hailstorm-related mishaps. Twenty-eight deaths and 32 suicides of farmers were recorded in the last few weeks. "We received the nod from the ECI this evening. All the district collectors have been asked to immediately deposit the compensation amounts in the bank accounts of the farmers. We are releasing Rs 260 crore as first instalment," the chief secretary said.