Mumbai, Sep 23 (IANS) Amid damage to crops, loss of cattle and soil erosion caused by heavy rains and waterlogging in various districts of Maharashtra, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday demanded that the Centre should immediately provide financial assistance of Rs 10,000 crore to the state’s farmers keeping aside stipulated norms.

Uddhav Thackeray further stated that the money should be directly deposited into the bank accounts of the suffering farmers, adding that banks should not divert the loan installment amount from these accounts.

He added that the government should not waste time in conducting ground assessment but provide immediate financial aid to growers.

“First, deposit the compensation in the bank accounts and then conduct inspection and panchnamas (ground assessment),” Uddhav Thackeray said.

Uddhav Thackeray demanded that financial assistance be provided up to three hectares instead of up to two hectares as per the old norms. He also mentioned that assistance should be announced generously.

“Instead of wasting money on one’s own advertising, disaster-affected farmers should be given urgent help,” Uddhav Thackeray noted.

Uddhav Thackeray’s demands come when most of the districts in drought prone Marathwada region have witnessed torrential and devastating rains and floods causing heavy damage to the agriculture sector.

Farmers from Beed, Latur, Dharashiv, Jalna, Nanded, Sambhajinagar and Nanded from the Marathwada region have been largely affected and they are desperately seeking government help to tide over the present crisis.

Uddhav Thackeray said Khaira crops have been damaged and the whole Rabi season faces major challenge due to soil erosion.

“Cattle and roads also have been washed away. How will agriculture in Marathwada recover from the damage it has suffered?” he asked.

Uddhav Thackeray recalled that during the Maha Vikas Aghadi government disasters like drought, heavy rains, and cyclones literally destroyed farmers, but the Centre provided very little help.

“The government is advising farmers to do farming with the help of AI. But even after such a natural disaster, the ministers and officials of the MahaYuti government are sitting there in the Mantralaya and giving online advice. Not a single minister has visited the farms affected by heavy rains and waterlogging,” Uddhav Thackeray claimed.

Uddhav Thackeray said Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and his two deputies Dy CMs Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar could have visited these places through chopper but they have no time for this.

–IANS

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