Gujarat govt announces Rs 630 cr relief package for crop damage

Gandhinagar, Oct 28 (IANS) Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Friday announced Rs 630 crore relief package for crop loss due to heavy rainfall during monsoon season.

Heavy to very heavy rainfall lashed Saurashtra, Central and South Gujarat region in July and August, which damaged crops.

The state agriculture department had conducted a survey to assess the crop damage in the same months.

The relief package will be given to Chhotaudepur, Narmada, Panchmahal, Navsari, Valsad, Dangs, Tapi, Surat, Kutch, Junagadh, Morbi, Porbandar, Anand and Kheda districts.

Patel in a statement said, "Some eight lakh farmers of 2,554 villages of 50 Talukas in 14 districts will benefit from the relief package. Crops standing on 9.25 lakh hectares of agricultural land were washed out due to very heavy rains."

The relief will be released in accordance with the State Disaster Response Fund criteria. If more than 33 per cent of the crop is damaged, farmers will be entitled for the compensation.

Per hectare, a farmer will be paid Rs 6,800 and to the maximum limit of two hectares.

For banana growers, per hectare compensation amount will be Rs 30,000 and for maximum of two hectares of land.