Cabinet Approves Assistance for Farmers Impacted by Unseasonal Rain in 13 Districts

On Thursday, a relief package for farmers in 13 affected districts whose Kharif crops were harmed by Gujarat's unusually heavy summer rains was announced by the state Cabinet. To receive the assistance, the farmers must submit an online application.

Minister Rushikesh Patel said after the Cabinet meeting on Thursday that the unseasonal rains had a negative impact on farmers in 13 districts, including Surat, Rajkot, Banaskantha, Junagadh, Aravalli, Tapi, Sabarkantha, Amreli, Patan, Bhavnagar, Jamnagar, and Ahmedabad. The government will also offer top-up assistance in addition to the relief in accordance with SDRF (State Disaster Response Fund) guidelines.

Patel, however, withheld information regarding the scope of the damage, the overall amount of relief that will be provided, and the date that farmers can begin submitting online applications for the same.

Patel said that as per SDRF norms farmers growing wheat, mustard, gram, banana, and papaya strive to receive Rs 13,500 per hectare. Also, these farmers will receive an additional Rs 9,500 per hectare from the state treasury. He added that this aid is limited to two hectares per farmer.

Farmers involved in growing mango, guava, and lemon will get Rs 1,8000 per hectare and an additional Rs 12,600 per hectare as per SDRF norms, Patel said, despite the upper limit, a minimum of Rs 4,000 will be given as an aid to the affected farmers.

In the Kutch district, flooded roads at Nakhatrana passing through the town temporarily halted traffic on the highway, as the area was hit by a thunderstorm, on Thursday, followed by heavy rains making it the 10th consecutive day of untimely showers in Kutch.

As per the residents, the town and its surrounding areas recorded more than two inches of rain. Following this, the internal roads of the town turned into streams. Vehicular traffic had to be stopped on the Bhuj-Lakhpat state highway after a stretch of the highway passing through Nakhatrana was flooded. Rainfall was also reported from the neighbouring Bhachau, Mandvi taluka, and Rapar talukas in eastern Kutch.

An officer in the Kutch district disaster control room said, “However, we are yet to receive information about rainfall in rural areas in Nakhatrana and Mandvi, among others, on Thursday, Gandhidham taluka received 2 mm of rain.”