Environment2 min
Fadnavis in Nagpur village: Drought-hit farmers get Rs 5,000 Diwali aid, bill waivers
Speaking at a Gurudev Seva Mandal prayer meeting in Lohari Savanga, the Maharashtra CM said the state is putting cash, power-bill relief and water works behind farmers hit by a failed monsoon.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis spent the Diwali season with villagers in Lohari Savanga, Nagpur district, and told drought-hit farmers the state government is standing behind them with cash support, electricity bill relief and more schemes to come.
He spoke after a prayer meeting organised by the Gurudev Seva Mandal in the hall of the village Gram Panchayat. Revenue Minister and Nagpur Guardian Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule, several MLAs, District Collector Kumar Ashirwad and Zilla Parishad CEO Vinayak Mahamuni joined him.
Fadnavis described the year as one of hard tests. The rains stayed away until the very end, he said, and crops were damaged. In parts of the state, he added, fodder and even drinking water are now in short supply.
The most immediate help is cash. According to the Chief Minister, the government has put Rs 5,000 into the bank accounts of roughly 1.5 crore farmers so they can celebrate Diwali. He said the transfers are still going on, so not every account may have been credited yet.
Farmers also get relief on power. Fadnavis said their electricity bills have been waived, along with outstanding arrears. He recalled an earlier farm loan waiver that, in his words, benefited lakhs of farmers and helped them recover, but said the drought has created a fresh crisis that called for direct assistance.
Looking ahead, he promised large-scale water conservation works and efforts to address health concerns in rural areas. His office said more schemes will follow, and that everyone will need to face the calamity together. For villages short on water and fodder, the test will be how fast promised works reach the ground.
Fadnavis also drew on the teachings of Rashtrasant Tukdoji Maharaj, citing his Gramgeeta and bhajans as a source of strength in hard times. He said the saint's thoughts on handling a drought offer clear direction.
Read the original report here.
