CM Fadnavis visits Kalmeshwar farms to assess drought damage to cotton and tur crops

Lack of rain in Nagpur district is causing heavy damage to kharif crops, leaving farmers in financial distress. Against this backdrop, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis went straight to the field bunds and listened to farmers' problems.

In Sonegaon Rithi and Kohli in Kalmeshwar taluka, he inspected cotton and tur crops. The Chief Minister assured farmers that help would be provided immediately and that the remaining aid would also be credited to their accounts. He said the government stood firmly with farmers in times of crisis.

In Sonegaon, the Chief Minister visited the farm of farmer Dilip Sarode and inspected the cotton crop. Because of the lack of rain, the cotton has not grown as expected. In many places the cotton bolls have not even burst, raising fears of a major impact on yield. Farmers are worried over the situation.

Dilip Sarode told the Chief Minister that crops are being damaged by wild animals as well as by the drought. He demanded that solar fencing be provided to protect the crops. The Chief Minister assured him that the solar fencing scheme would be implemented effectively.

The Chief Minister then went to the farm of Baburao Kale in Kohli village of Kalmeshwar taluka. There he inspected the cotton and tur crops and took stock of the damage. Crops have deteriorated after a long spell without rain.

The Chief Minister clarified that the government has already given farmers an advance of Rs 5,000 and that the remaining aid will be credited directly to their bank accounts. He also said no farmer in the district would be left without help. According to him, farmers should not be broken by the drought and should keep patience, and the government will provide the necessary help.

Registration on AgriStack is required for drought relief. Given the present conditions, farmers have been allowed to register offline instead of online. Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule gave this information.

The Chief Minister also directed the administration that, although foodgrain supplies are available during the drought, farmers who do not have ration cards should also be registered on priority and given the benefit of foodgrain.

MLAs Charansingh Thakur and Rajiv Potdar, District Collector Kumar Ashirwad and Chief Executive Officer Vinayak Mahamuni were present on the tour, along with local representatives, officials and farmers. The Chief Minister's visit has raised hopes of help for drought-hit farmers.