State agriculture minister Dattatray Bharne at a meeting at divisional commissionerate on Thursday
State govt stands firmly behind them and will extend all possible support during this difficult period,” the minister said. Stressing the need for field-level engagement, Bharne said, “Officials must put farmers first. They should reach the fields, hear farmers’ grievances and take immediate action instead of restricting themselves to reviews conducted from their offices,” he said. Bharne said, “No eligible farmer should be denied benefits under govt schemes. “Govt will explore ways to provide early assistance without waiting for National Disaster Response Fund support and will extend all admissible relief under disaster-relief norms,” Bharne said. Nandurbar guardian minister Hasan Mushrif said his district had received the lowest rainfall in the division, while Nashik guardian minister Girish Mahajan stressed judicious water management and contingency planning for drinking water and livestock needs.
“Farmers should not worry. Following the tour, the minister chaired a review meeting covering rainfall patterns, crop conditions, water availability, crop insurance, compensation, fodder and power supply across Nashik, Ahilyanagar, Jalgaon, Dhule and Nandurbar districts. The officials were also instructed to expedite crop-loss assessments and complete panchnamas without delay to ensure eligible farmers receive assistance promptly. The minister also raised concerns over crop insurance settlement delays, stating that the state had approached Centre seeking relaxation in satellite-imagery norms used to assess crop damage. Guardian ministers participating in the review highlighted region-specific concerns. Jalgaon guardian minister Gulabrao Patil sought immediate settlement of pending crop insurance claims, and Ahilyanagar guardian minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil flagged concerns over emerging shortages of fodder, water and electricity.
Nashik: State agriculture minister Dattatray Bharne on Thursday reviewed drought-like conditions across Nashik division after visiting affected farms, directing officials to fast-track crop-loss assessments, conduct early crop-cutting experiments and ensure timely assistance reaches farmers. Bharne said state govt was likely to issue a notification on Saturday to facilitate relief measures for farmers affected by the prolonged dry spell.