Gondia paddy farmers get over Rs 111 crore under three schemes after erratic rain

Erratic rain this kharif season upset the calculations of paddy growers in Gondia district. Financial assistance from the government under different schemes has now brought them considerable relief. Given the drought conditions, each farmer received advance aid of Rs 5,000 before Diwali. In addition, the 24th instalment of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi and the second phase of the Punyashlok Ahilyadevi Holkar Farm Loan Waiver Scheme have also reached farmers' accounts in the district. More than Rs 111 crore has been disbursed so far under these three schemes.

This year the monsoon saw a long break, water was scarce, and pests and diseases also struck. All of this affected the district's paddy crop. Going by the criteria for drought conditions, the state government brought all eight tehsils of Gondia district under the aid. They are Gondia, Tirora, Goregaon, Amgaon, Salekasa, Deori, Arjuni Morgaon and Sadak Arjuni. A crop loss survey was carried out, after which distribution of advance aid to farmers began.

As of November 5, Rs 37.46 crore has been deposited in the bank accounts of 74,910 farmers in the district.

The 24th instalment of PM Kisan Samman Nidhi was released on October 30, 2026. A total of 2,16,474 eligible farmers in the district received Rs 2,000 each, amounting to Rs 43,29,48,000.

In the second phase of the loan waiver scheme, more than Rs 30,30,38,000 was deposited on August 25, 2026, in the accounts of 5,169 farmers in the district. Of these, 4,355 are account holders of the District Central Cooperative Bank, and more than Rs 24.59 crore was deposited in their accounts.

Meanwhile, procurement began on November 5 at the government's minimum support price paddy procurement centres in the district for the kharif marketing season 2026-27. Farmers can sell paddy until March 31, 2027. The Centre has fixed the base price at Rs 2,441 per quintal for common-grade paddy and Rs 2,461 for A-grade paddy. This also opens a route for farmers to sell their paddy.