Mar 13, 2014, 11.26PM IST NEW DELHI: The Centre may announce relief package for farmers, who lost their standing crops in rains and hailstorm in different states, on or after March 19.
Officials, who have been visiting Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Rajasthan to assess the overall loss to the farmers, will submit their reports to the Centre by March 19.
The announcement will, however, be made only after taking permission from the election commission. The permission is needed as the 'model code of conduct' has been in force across the country due to the forthcoming general elections.
Agriculture minister Sharad Pawar said, "Detailed report of central teams will come by March 19...On the basis of the report of central teams and after seeking permission from the centralelection commission (CEC), the government would decide on financial package"".
His remarks came after his meeting with chief ministers of Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. After the meeting, Pawar said that he reviewed the situation in Maharashtra, MP, AP, Karnataka and Rajasthan which are among the badly affected states.
Reports sent by affected states said that while Maharashtra faced damage of crops in around 12 lakh hectares of cultivable land, Madhya Pradesh suffered losses in nearly 26 lakh hectare of area covering thousands of villages in the state.
Madhya Pradesh reported damage of wheat crop, gram and masoor (lentil) whereas Maharashtra faced damage to grapes, onions, wheat and pomegranate.
Though standing crops in other states like Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh too suffered damage in unseasonal rains, the magnitude of loss in these states is not as high as in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh.
