Maharashtra Cabinet on Wednesday announced a ₹10,000 crore compensation package for farms damaged by the high-intensity rainfall and subsequent floods in the State in the last few weeks.
According to the State government, a total of 55 lakh hectares of farm land was damaged in rains and flood between June and October 2021. “We have decided not to wait for the NDRF norms to announce the relief package. The government wants to extend aid at the earliest and that is the reason why we have announced the relief package,” said an official from the Relief and Rehabilitation department.
It had been decided to give ₹10,000 per hectare for rain-fed crops, ₹15,000 per hectare for irrigated land and ₹25,000 per hectare for multi-crop land. The limit would be two hectares.
The State Cabinet also decided to extend monetary help to artistes and organisations working in experimental art who suffered due to the closure of cinemas, drama theatres and auditoriums during the COVID-19 lockdown period.
A total of 56,000 artistes would get ₹5000 each, for which ₹28 crore had been allotted. A total of 847 organisations would be given a total of ₹6 crore. A committee at the district collector level would make the selection of artistes, and money would be deposited directly in their accounts.