CM Devendra Fadnavis has a light moment during the tea party organised before the Monsoon Session at Sahyadri guesthouse on Sunday. (Photo: Debasish Dey)
CM Devendra Fadnavis has a light moment during the tea party organised before the Monsoon Session at Sahyadri guesthouse on Sunday. (Photo: Debasish Dey)
With the state receiving 104 per cent rainfall, the total water stock in reservoirs has reached 34 per cent so far. This is an improvement, as the figure stood at 26 per cent around this time last year.
Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said that from June 1 to July 16, Maharashtra received average rainfall of 449mm, which is 104 per cent more than the average rainfall and much higher than last year’s average rainfall of 58 per cent. Of this, 23 districts have received more than 100 per cent average rainfall, whereas eight districts has received 76-100 per cent rainfall so far. Only three districts — Nandurbar, Solapur and Osmanabad — have received a low 50-75 per cent average rainfall so far.
Due to the good showers, the state will perform better in the agriculture sector as the crop area has increased by 125 per cent this year. Almost 80 per cent crop sowing in the state has already been completed and there will be no need for double sowing, the CM said.
The Jalyukta Shivar scheme has fetched good results for the state and it would be implemented in 5,000 more villages next year, said Mr Fadnavis. The target for this year was 6,000 villages, but due to some reasons 4,000 villages have been benefited this monsoon, he added.
The CM claimed that about Rs 7,000 crore in aid was provided to state farmers just before the sowing season had started, which has been immensely beneficial for them. About Rs 3,500 crore in aid was added directly to farmers’ deposits, whereas they also received a crop insurance of Rs 3,500 crore.
The new crop insurance scheme will provide insurance at lower rates to farmers. For this, firms have been appointed in all the state’s zones including Marathwada, said Mr Fadnavis.
