Gandhinagar, Nov 5 (IANS) On the auspicious occasion of the 556th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel visited the Gurudwara at Por village in Gandhinagar district on Wednesday and participated in the prayers, satsang, and kirtan organised by the Sikh community.

The Chief Minister offered prayers before the Guru Granth Sahib and sought blessings for the happiness, prosperity, peace, and progress of all citizens of the state.

On behalf of the Gurudwara, Chief Sevadar Gurpreet Singh Dhillon and Paramjit Kaur Chhabra felicitated the Chief Minister by presenting an ‘angvastram’ and a replica of the Golden Temple. During the visit, the Chief Minister also joined devotees in the seva of distributing prasad at the community langar.

Energy and Petrochemicals Minister Rishikesh Patel, Gandhinagar Mayor Meenaben Patel, MLAs Ritaben Patel and Alpesh Thakor were also present on the occasion.

Meanwhile, the state government is set to announce a massive agricultural relief package to assist farmers affected by the recent spell of unseasonal rain.

The relief is aimed at supporting farmers whose standing crops suffered severe damage due to heavy and unseasonal rainfall that lashed the state in the last week of October. Preliminary assessments suggest that crops in 249 talukas, covering over 10 lakh hectares of farmland, have been severely affected.

Unofficial estimates now suggest that out of the 85 lakh hectares under cultivation in the state, more than 51 lakh hectares may have sustained extensive damage.

To determine the exact scale of the loss, the government has deployed survey teams across affected districts. The relief package, officials said, will prioritise compensation for farmers whose crops have been destroyed or severely impacted, ensuring immediate financial assistance and rehabilitation support.

Chief Minister Patel visited the rain-affected areas of Saurashtra and personally interacted with farmers to assess the extent of crop damage.

After his visit, CM Patel convened a series of meetings with senior officials to review the situation. Officials informed that surveys have been completed in nearly 70 per cent of the affected regions.

Acting on the Chief Minister’s directive to expedite the process, teams are working to finish the remaining assessments swiftly, paving the way for the prompt announcement of a comprehensive relief package for farmers.

–IANS

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