Pune: Crops spread over 41 lakh acres in 29 districts of Maharashtra have been damaged this monsoon with the rain fury continuing in the final leg of the season this year. The agriculture department fears that the losses will further increase amid forecasts of more rain this week.State agriculture minister Datta Bharne on Tuesday said heavy rain lashed most parts of Maharashtra and 29 districts were badly affected. “As per the preliminary assessment, cultivation over 41.57 lakh acres of land in these districts has so far been damaged. Besides the crop damage, some farmers lost their livestock in the heavy rain,” he said.An agriculture department official said all field officers have been told to expedite the crop loss assessment process. “In some areas, farms are still under water. Crop loss assessment on such land will be possible only after the water recedes,” he said.Another agriculture department official said the 29 affected districts were from various regions, including Marathwada that was usually considered a rain-deficit zone. “Onion, banana, turmeric, soybean and other vegetable growers are among the worst-hit farmers. The panchnama process to assess the losses has been initiated,” the official said.As the farmers across the state have been raising pitches for compensation, Bharne said the state was taking steps to provide relief to all affected growers. “Agriculture and revenue department officials are working in coordination to carry out panchnama and expedite the compensation disbursement process. The issue has been discussed at the cabinet meeting, and govt will provide all the necessary assistance to the farmers,” the minister said.Despite the state govt’s promise of assistance to the farmers in distress, the opposition accused the Mahayuti dispensation of not doing enough to ensure relief for the farming community.Senior Congress politician Vijay Wadettiwar said: “I have not seen such an anti-farmer govt. It failed to give good returns on farm produce. Now, when so much of crops have been damaged, the Mahayuti govt has not yet announced. In the country, our state has the maximum number of suicides by farmers. The govt must conduct the crop loss panchnama and compensate the farmers at the earliest.”NCP (SP) MP from Beed Bajrang Sonawane also accused state govt of not doing enough to provide relief to the farmers. “Many farmers have lost their relatives, livestock and crops. Some have lost their houses and do not have any utensils to cook food. The state should immediately give assistance of Rs 50,000 each to such families for survival as the panchnama process continues.”
