Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis having dinner at a farmer’s home in Narkhed taluka in Nagpur district on Saturday
Listing the steps taken by his govt, Fadnavis said loan waiver benefits had already been deposited into accounts of 21 lakh farmers, while the process was underway to extend the benefit to nearly 55 lakh farmers. Additionally, advance assistance of Rs5,000 had been deposited into the accounts of around 1.5 crore farmers. Highlighting another major relief measure, Fadnavis said the state govt had decided to waive farmers’ electricity bills completely, involving an expenditure of around Rs58,000 crore.
The CM also discussed difficulties faced by orange and sweet lime growers in the Katol-Narkhed belt, who suffered losses due to Bangladesh’s restrictions on imports. Several schemes were already being implemented and more initiatives would be announced to address the difficulties faced by farmers and rural communities. You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Nagpur | Silver Rate in Nagpur | Bank Holidays in Nagpur | Public Holidays in Nagpur | Petrol Price in Nagpur | Diesel Price in Nagpur | CNG Price in Nagpur | LPG Price in Nagpur Stay updated with the latest Nagpur news.
Celebrating Diwali with farmers at Lohari Sawanga village in Narkhed taluka of Nagpur district, Fadnavis said govt was committed to supporting cultivators through financial assistance, agricultural infrastructure and water conservation initiatives. He said farmers were struggling to meet agricultural expenses and repay loans, with a poor monsoon and crop losses making the situation worse. He said a major project coming up at Mihan would create opportunities for processing these fruits and provide an alternative market for farmers. Acknowledging the difficult agricultural conditions this year, Fadnavis said less rainfall and adverse weather conditions had caused extensive damage to crops, leaving farmers facing severe financial distress. Several areas were additionally grappling with shortages of drinking water and fodder for cattle,” he said. On his decision to celebrate Diwali with farmers, the CM said he wanted to boost their morale through direct interaction. Invoking the teachings of Rashtrasant Tukdoji Maharaj, Fadnavis said his Gramgeeta offered a roadmap for rural prosperity, covering agriculture, cleanliness, economic development and community participation. He said the saint’s devotional compositions and teachings had the power to give people strength during difficult circumstances. Referring to the need for long-term drought preparedness, Fadnavis said govt would undertake extensive water conservation works, including repairs to old lakes and check dams, construction of new water conservation structures and improvement of farm access roads under the state’s pandan road scheme. The CM said preparing water conservation infrastructure before the arrival of the next monsoon would be crucial to helping drought-affected areas overcome recurring water shortages. “The govt would also organise health camps and facilitate surgeries and other medical interventions in different locations to ensure that people did not face difficulties due to a lack of money,” he said. He also said govt would permit digging of irrigation wells wherever feasible to help farmers tackle the water crisis.
Fadnavis stayed at the house of farmer Rambhau Balpande, where he shared a traditional meal prepared by the women of the family. Sitting on the floor, the CM had a village-style dinner comprising bhakri, chapatis, potato and brinjal curry, bharit, dal and rice. Balpande highlighted the financial distress confronting farmers, inadequate irrigation facilities, low water availability and mounting cultivation costs. “Soyabean crops failed to develop pods, while cotton and other crops suffered significant losses. Govt would soon begin disbursing drought-related financial assistance, he added. Reiterating that the entire govt was committed to helping the farmers, he appealed to villagers to face the crisis collectively. Fadnavis was accompanied by revenue minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule, MLAs Charansingh Thakur, Ashish Deshmukh, MLC Rajiv Potdar, district collector Kumar Ashirwad and ZP chief executive officer Vinayak Mahamuni. Download the TOI App.
Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis at a farmer’s home in Narkhed taluka in Nagpur district on Saturday Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis at a farmer’s home in Narkhed taluka in Nagpur district on Saturday Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis having dinner at a farmer’s home in Narkhed taluka in Nagpur district on Saturday Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis at a farmer’s home in Narkhed taluka in Nagpur district on Saturday Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis at a farmer’s home in Narkhed taluka in Nagpur district on Saturday Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis having dinner at a farmer’s home in Narkhed taluka in Nagpur district on Saturday Nagpur: Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday assured farmers in drought-hit regions of Maharashtra that his govt stands firmly behind them and promised further relief measures to help them overcome the agrarian crisis.
