M'shtra to set up agri cell under disaster mgmt dept

In the wake of various natural disasters witnessed by Maharashtra this year resulting in great loss to the farmers, the government would soon set up a special agriculture cell under its disaster management department.

"This year, the centre were hit by floods as well as unprecedented hailstorm. We will soon set up an agri-cell under the disaster management mechanism, which will help us in restoration work," said Rajendra Shingane, revenue and rehabilitation minister.

The state has been facing the nature's fury from last year, as most of its regions being hit by heavy floods, unseasonal rains and hailstorm, causing great damage to cotton, mango, onion, besides destruction of properties in Vidarbha, Marathwada and Konkan regions, he said.

Maharashtra has already announced rehabilitation package to hailstorm-hit areas on the lines of the package offered to the draught-hit areas, the minister said adding that the government has already completed the task of calculating the loss caused by these natural furies and would pay all the affected farmers within two weeks.

"We are also planning to reconstitute the loans of such affected farmers on similar lines of what the government offered to the draught-hit farmers," Shingane added. The unseasonal rains had damaged 82,720 hectare crop in Amaravati, 10,920 hectare in Nagpur, 12,000 hectare in Aurangabad and 876 hectare in Pune, he said.