Excess rainfall in Marathwada and the resultant crop losses in the region will be the main focus of the special meeting of the Maharashtra cabinet to be held in Aurangabad on Tuesday.
Agriculture Minister Bhausaheb Fundkar said while the water grid, water conservation, tourism and industrial development would be on the agenda, the major issue will be the massive crop losses due to the floods and the relief measures for farmers.
Fundkar, also the minister for relief and rehabilitation, said this issue was a priority as the last three days’ heavy rainfall in Marathwada had washed out the kharif crops with flood-like situation prevailing in most cities in the region.
“Soybean, jowar, cotton and tur pulses are the major crops of the region. Over 50 per cent of these crops have been washed out,” Fundkar said.
“Other pulses, turmeric, onion, sunflower and sesame grown by farmers in Latur, Osmanabad and Nanded districts too have been destroyed,” he added.
“We have given instructions to the administration to take a stock of the losses. Employees from revenue department have started spot inspections and final figure of losses will be out by tomorrow morning, before the cabinet meeting,” said Fundkar.
With this report, the cabinet would take a decision on relief, he said.
“As kharif crops are destroyed, we will help the farmers for the rabi season through distribution of free seeds. We will also seek financial aid from the Centre and the cabinet will take a decision on submitting a memorandum to the Union Agriculture Department,” said Fundkar.
