A day after opposition slammed the Shinde Fadnavis government for its apathy towards farmers and delays in the disbursement of financial assistance to farmers hit by heavy rains and floods, the newly appointed agriculture minister Abdul Sattar on Friday said a new project will be launched soon under which as an agriculture minister he will visit the farm in every district and learn the farming from the farmers while the officers from the revenue and agriculture departments will also pay similar visits and understand the problems faced by the farmers that will help the department to take the necessary measures. He hinted at the release of a new plan to boost agriculture in the state.
‘’A day out in agriculture will be launched soon, as I intend to meet the farmers by going to the fields and learn about farming. The agriculture department officers including the agriculture commissioner and the district collectors and divisional commissioners will also visit the farms visiting various villages to understand the farming techniques applied by the farmers and the problems faced by them,’’ said Sattar, who was the minister of state for revenue in the Maha Vikas Aghadi government and later joined Shinde camp. He reiterated that the new initiative will be implemented across the state and he will visit all districts.
Sattar said the department will seek the help of agricultural universities to do research and suggest remedies to prevent damage caused to agriculture due to insect attacks.
Sattar said he will also visit the flood-hit areas in three days and submit the report to Governor BS Koshyari on Monday and thereafter announce in the state legislature the financial aid to the flood-hit farmers.
Sattar said he has sought the appointment with former union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar to seek his guidance.
According to the minister, the assessment of damage to crops in rains that took place in July was complete and its details along with the way compensation will be disbursed will be informed in the Maharashtra Assembly.
Sattar also said a new pest was affecting crops in Osmanabad, Beed and Latur
and agriculture experts will visit affected areas to come up with mitigating measures.
"Crop loss panchnama (detailed assessment) has been completed for July. However, assessment of the damage caused by rains in the first half of August is not complete," said the minister, who is on a three-day tour of Nagpur, Amravati and Marathwada divisions.
"The state government has announced a compensation of Rs 13,600 per hectare. I will inform the Assembly on Monday on the assessment and compensation," he added.
The minister informed that 'gogal gaay' (snail) was affecting crops in Osmanabad, Beed and Latur.
"A team from the agriculture department and experts have been told to visit the region and come up with solutions against this new pest menace," Sattar said.
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