Maharashtra to submit crop loss memorandum to Centre soon
The state seeks financial assistance after completing nearly three crore field site visits across drought-affected areas.
Maharashtra will submit a memorandum to the Centre within one or two days regarding crop losses caused by deficient rainfall, according to Urban Acres.
State agriculture commissioner Suraj Mandhare said the department has finished field-level assessments in all affected areas and is currently verifying and compiling the data into a uniform format.
Mandhare stated that the exercise involved almost three crore panchanama site visits, whereas the previous assessment included 35,000 visits.
Agriculture minister Dattatray Bharne said nearly 97 per cent of the crop panchanama process is complete and assistance for farmers is being prepared in a consolidated manner.
The state has declared drought in 305 of its 358 tehsils, with officials suggesting more tehsils might be added next week.
The memorandum will detail damage by specific crops and regions, alongside estimated costs related to the drought, a senior agriculture department official said.
An 11-member inter-ministerial team visited Marathwada, Vidarbha and western Maharashtra, including Ahilyanagar and Solapur, between October 8 and October 11 to assess the situation.