Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana (SSS) chief Raju Shetti said that the Central government must provide 75% of the relief compensation to rain-hit farmers in Maharashtra, while the rest should be provided by the State government.
Mr. Shetti, who had written to the Prime Minister, noted that most of the standing crop across western Marathwada, Konkan and Marathwada region had been affected. “When the pandemic erupted in March, the rural economy was in dire straits…it must be remembered that it was the farmers who strove to ensure consistent food supply throughout the lockdown. While medical and police personnel helped curb the contagion, farmers pulled out all the stops to provide milk, vegetables and other essentials to urban pockets,” said the former MP from Hatkanangale in Kolhapur district.
The SSS chief said this was the Centre’s chance to display its beneficence toward Maharashtra’s farmers whose subsistence has been threatened by the ravages of the retreating monsoon. Mr. Shetti urged the Centre to send a team as quickly as possible.
“Farmers, who were expecting bumper yields owing to good climatic conditions for the better part of the year, now have their hopes dashed…acres and acres of jowar, soybean, cotton have been destroyed. Within a matter of three days, the rains have reduced farmers to the brink of subsistence,” he said.
The farmer leader also expressed disappointment with Uddhav Thackeray’s Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government for not having swiftly announced financial assistance. “The crop losses are at a staggering ₹50,000 crore…the Centre must get into the act soon, as must the State government as this is a grave crisis unlike any other,” he said.
