Maha: No guardian for farmers, says Fadnavis after visiting rain-affected villages in Marathwada

Senior BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday said his government had given insurance aid of Rs 500 crore per district to farmers affected by rains and flooding, while the situation today was such that cultivators were feeling as if they had no guardian in Maharashtra.

He was speaking to reporters after visiting Chivli and Fulval villages in Nanded, some 260 km from here, during the day.

”Rains have washed away land and destroyed crops. Earlier, we used to give crop insurance of Rs 400-500 crore per district. But now the situation is such that there is no guardian left for farmers. Loss assessment surveys have not been completed, there is no help by way of insurance and power connections are still not up,” he said.

Speaking to reporters in Latur, also in the Marathwada region, Fadnavis said claims made by some experts that works done under the Jalyukt Shivar scheme of the previous BJP-led government was responsible for floods in the region. ”These claims are false and their only intention is to rake up a political issue against BJP,” the former chief minister said. Fadnavis and Leader of Opposition in Maharashtra Legislative Council Pravin Darekar visited the rain and flood-hit villages in the Latur district. ”A writ petition had been filed in the high court at that time. Experts had explained the benefits of the Jalyukta Shivar scheme to the HC then,” he said. Fadnavis said heavy rains destroyed all crops including soybean in Marathwada.

”Farmers are facing financial difficulties. The state government should credit financial assistance in bank accounts of farmers before the Dussehra festival otherwise BJP would launch an agitation,” he said. Fadnavis accused the MVA government of conniving with crop insurance companies. He demanded a probe into the timing of the opening of gates of dams.

Opening of gates of dams had flooded farmlands at many places in the Marathwada region in recent rains.