Cabinet announces Rs 1,339-crore assistance to farmers affected by crop damage

The Maharashtra government on Tuesday announced a Rs 1339 crore assistance package for farmers whose crops were damaged due to heavy rainfall between June and August news agency ANI reported quoting official sourcesThe relief will be distributed through direct benefit transfers DBT directly into farmersrsquo bank accounts This assistance is based on the panchnama surveys already conducted to assess crop damage during the JuneAugust period However panchnamas for the more recent damage caused by ongoing rainfall in Marathwada are yet to be completed officials saidAn official government order clarified that the disbursed funds must be distinct from other departmental relief funds being provided for crop damage in the current season ANI reported The notice also emphasised that relief should be provided at the prescribed rate and only once per seasonOnce the funds are distributed the beneficiaries list and the corresponding order will be published on the respective district websites ensuring transparency in the disbursement processBetween August 18 and 21 Maharashtra experienced heavy to very heavy rainfall especially over Konkan and the adjoining ghat areas of Madhya MaharashtraAccording to the Regional Meteorological Centre Mumbai the monsoon trough extended from Naliya Jalgaon Brahmapuri and Jagdalpur to a wellmarked lowpressure area over the westcentral and northwest Bay of Bengal stretching southeastward to the eastcentral Bay of Bengal up to 15 km above mean sea levelAdditionally an offshore trough was present from South Konkan to North Kerala at the mean sea level the India Meteorological Department IMD reportedThe IMD had issued multiple weather alerts and warnings including red alerts on August 18 and 19 in several western coastal districts yellow alerts on August 20 and 21 advisories for flooding in lowlying and urban areas warnings of disruANIons to road rail air and ferry services fishermen were also cautioned against venturing into the sea as squally weather with wind speeds between 45ndash55 kmph gusting up to 65 kmph was expected along the South KonkanGoa coast and nearby sea areas during this periodMaharashtra Eight dead widespread damage as torrential rains lash Marathwada regionAt least eight people have died and hundreds of homes have been damaged as heavy rains battered Maharashtrarsquos Marathwada region over the past four days In what is typically a droughtprone area relentless downpours since September 20 have caused severe flooding infrastructure damage and largescale crop loss officials confirmed on TuesdayRescue efforts involved the deployment of boats and helicopters with 27 people rescued by the NDRF and 200 shifted to safer locationsThe rains have claimed eight lives across the region including three in Latur two in Beed and one each in Dharashiv Nanded and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Causes of death included drowning lightning strikes and other rainrelated accidents according to the state revenue departmentAs per the ANI infrastructure has also taken a hit Two schools and a road were damaged in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar while three bridges were affected in Jalna and Beed districts Five small dams in Marathwada have sustained damage due to flooding Catchment areas of the Jayakwadi and Majalgaon dams received intense rainfall promANIng authorities to begin discharging excess waterWith ANI inputs