Maharashtra government working to ensure help to drought-hit farmers: Uddhav Thackeray

Mumbai, Dec 18: Even as Marathwada and Vidarbha regions continue to grapple with scarcity, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray feels that the state government has taken definite steps to tackle the drought conditions and is reaching out to affected farmers in Maharashtra.

"The state government has surely taken some definite steps to tackle drought conditions being faced by villages in some regions of the state. Even places (in Nashik region) that have been hit by hailstorm have been promised help. The Shiv Sena is working to make sure that affected farmers get the help they have been promised. Helping them would mean the government is helping itself," Thackeray said.

He was addressing reporters here on the sidelines of his meet with Sena MLAs on Wednesday evening.

The state government had on December 11 announced a relief package of Rs 7,000 crore for the drought-affected Marathwada and Vidarbha regions of the state. Announcing the package in the Maharashtra Assembly, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had also pledged to make the State "drought-free" and free the farmers from the bondage of private moneylenders.

Subsequently, the government had on December 16 announced that farmers affected by the recent hailstorm and untimely rains would be given compensation ranging from Rs 10,000 to Rs 25,000 per hectare.

During a discussion in the Legislative Council, Revenue Minister Eknath Khadse said horticulture crops like grapes, mango and banana cultivated on 60,000 hectares land were completely damaged due to unseasonal rains and hailstorm in November-December.

PTI