The Maharashtra government has demanded ₹200 crore from the Centre as immediate relief to farmers who have been affected by last week’s unseasonal rainfall and hailstorm.

The affected area has now increased to 1.90 lakh hectares, said State Agriculture Minister Pandurang Phundkar on Wednesday.

1,800 villages hit

He was addressing the media at the State Secretariat. Phundkar said the preliminary report on crop damage has been prepared, which shows that 1,800 villages in the State have been affected.

The process of Panchnama is still under way and is expected to be completed by Friday. The farmers who have suffered crop damage will get immediate relief on the basis of the National Disaster Management Authority guidelines.

Compensation announced

The Minister said that the worst-affected districts are Buldhana and Nanded. Those farmers who have opted for hailstorm protection under the reconstituted weather-based insurance scheme would be given relief.

For banana plantation ₹40,000 per acre, ₹36,000 for mangoes and ₹20,000 for lemon framers would be provided as compensation.

Farmers who are not covered under fruit crop insurance will get ₹18,000 per hectare as compensation.

Farmers growing jowar, corn, wheat, green gram and sunflower on rain-fed land will get ₹6,800 as compensation per hectare while those having irrigated land will get ₹13,500 per hectare as compensation, he said.

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