Drought hits crops on 43 lakh hectares in Vidarbha as farmers await aid before Diwali

The drought in Vidarbha has taken a serious turn. Panchnamas (damage surveys) of crop losses in the drought-hit talukas declared by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis under "Trigger 1" were under way on a war footing and have now reached the final stage. The drought has made conditions in rural areas extremely painful.

Many villages are struggling even for drinking water, let alone water for farming. Crops on a total of 43 lakh hectares have been damaged across the Nagpur and Amravati divisions. The government had earlier expressed apprehension that rainfall would be deficient this year because of the effect of El Nino. That fear has now come true.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had announced that an advance aid of Rs 5,000 would be deposited in farmers' accounts before Diwali. It is estimated to cost about Rs 6 crore. Farmers are waiting to know exactly when the money will reach their accounts.

About 32 lakh landholding farmers in Vidarbha have been hit by the crisis. In the Amravati division alone, the panchnama has been completed for more than 31 lakh 16 thousand hectares. Within this, the situation is the worst in Yavatmal and Akola districts, where crops have been almost completely destroyed.

In the Nagpur division, assessment of losses has been completed for more than 9 lakh 59 thousand farmers, out of 11 lakh 34 thousand hectares. Only 3 to 4 per cent of the panchnama work remains across Vidarbha. Its report will soon be submitted to the government.

Meanwhile, the opposition has called the aid inadequate, describing it as "cumin in a camel's mouth". It demands compensation of Rs 1 lakh per hectare for farmers.

Taking this demand into account, the government may have to spend at least Rs 30,000 crore to Rs 40,000 crore on relief. According to experts, the natural calamity is very likely to place a heavy financial burden on the state treasury, as it has on farmers.