Declare unseasonal rains in Maharashtra as natural calamity: Shiv Sena MPs to govt

Shiv Sena MPs protested inside the Parliament premises on Monday demanding that the government declare unseasonal rains in Maharashtra as natural calamity.

READ: Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari Announces Financial Relief For Affected Farmers

Farmer distress in Maharashtra

MPs Sanjay Raut, Arvind Sawant and others were present at the protest which comes on the first day of the Parliament's Winter Session, which will end on December 13. Unseasonal rains in Maharashtra have damaged crops on 70 lakh hectares of land, State Maharashtra Finance Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar had said a couple of days earlier.

READ: Uddhav Thackeray Cancels Ayodhya Visit Over Maharashtra Govt Formation; Farmer Distress

According to government officials, the loss could be to the tune of over Rs 5,000 crore across 30 of the state's 36 districts.

On Saturday, Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari announced financial relief in the form of Rs.8,000 per hectare up to 2 hectares for Kharif crops and Rs.18,000 per hectare up to 2 hectares for horticulture or perennial crops. The Governor also declared that the land revenue of the affected region would be exempted. Additionally, the school and college fees of the children of affected farmers have been waived off. The Governor directed the administration to immediately disburse the relief.  

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READ: Maharashtra Farmers Awaiting Immediate Aid, Not New Government: Sena