The bank accounts of 42 lakh drought-affected farmers have been credited with an aid of Rs. 1,507 crore, as per Maharashtra Finance Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar. A total of Rs. 2,909 crore have been allocated for this very purpose.
Mungantiwar also mentioned that 82,27,166 farmers have been drought sufferers in at least 151 tehsils with land holding being about 85.76 lakh hectares.
For dry land, the aid is Rs. 6,800 for dry land, while for assured irrigated area it is at Rs. 13,500 for along with the amount being Rs. 18,000 per hectare for multi-year crop area.
Not only this, Rs. 2,000 crore have also been sanctioned for farmers from the contingency fund.
Relief measures for drought-stricken areas include restructuring of loans taken from co-operative banks, land revenue exemption, stay to recovery of agricultural loans, relaxation in criteria for grant of works under Employment Guarantee Scheme, exemption from examination fee, and drinking water supply by tankers where needed.
Along with the 151 tehsils, drought has been declared in 268 'revenue circles' and 5,449 individual villages by the government wherein the agricultural production is likely to drop by over 50 percent.
Rs. 4,714 crore have been sanctioned by the Union Government as an assistance for losses in terms of agriculture and provision of drinking water and fodder.
to farmers whose crops were damaged by the pink bollworm pest received Rs. 3,366 crore.
