Union Minister Jadhav says drought-hit farmers will not be left alone, at Gharod in Khamgaon

Union Minister of State for AYUSH and Health and Family Welfare Prataprao Jadhav has said the government will not leave drought-hit farmers alone. According to Jadhav, the effect of El Nino has created drought-like conditions across the state and Kharif crops have suffered heavy losses. He said the government would try to deal with the drought by giving financial support to farmers, women and villagers through various Central and State schemes.

Jadhav visited Gharod, a remote hill village in Khamgaon taluka, on Tuesday night. A Bhaubeej programme had been organised there by the Sau Ekal Mahila Punarvasan Samiti. On the occasion, he spoke to farmers troubled by the drought and learnt of their difficulties.

During the programme, Jadhav visited the homes of two single, destitute women, Devkabai Adhav and Durga Ananta Kad, and celebrated Bhaubeej with them. At Devkabai Adhav's home he accepted the Bhaubeej aarti and listened to her problems. He expressed the sentiment of standing by single, destitute women as a brother.

Jadhav said women are receiving monthly financial help under the Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana, and that the scheme is a major support for families to make ends meet during the drought. He said farmers receive Rs 6,000 a year under the Centre's PM Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme, and the state government has added extra assistance to it. In addition, Rs 5,000 has been deposited directly into farmers' accounts as a Diwali advance.

According to Jadhav, the government is taking steps at several levels to give farmers relief in the drought. Besides financial help, it is also stressing long-term measures such as loan waiver, the river-linking project and water conservation. He said the aim is to increase water availability, provide irrigation for farming and reduce the impact of future droughts.

Jadhav sat with the farmers and discussed in detail farming problems, crop losses, water scarcity, the question of fodder for cattle, the burden of debt and the help received from the government. During this, a significant decision on Gharod's incomplete drinking water scheme was also announced. The state government's water supply department has given revised administrative approval to the scheme, which had been lying incomplete under the Jal Jeevan Mission. Jadhav handed the approval letter to the gram panchayat's sarpanch, Vaibhav Thakre.

Those present at the programme included Sarpanch Vaibhav Thakre, advocate Amol Andhare, Rajendra Bagh, Sachin Thakre, who is the district coordinator of the Sau Ekal Mahila Punarvasan Samiti and an electronic media journalist, Akshay Matankar, Rajesh Kad and Ananta Narwade. Office-bearers and workers of the samiti and a large number of farmers also attended.

Gharod is a village in a remote hilly area, and its farmers have been hit hardest by the drought. Villagers were pleased that the Union Minister of State visited farmers' homes and celebrated the festival with them. It was said at the programme that such interactions are being held so that the problems of village farmers can be learnt first-hand and raised at the Central and State government levels.