Press Trust of India

Under fire from the Opposition over delay in financial aid to farmers for crops damaged by pests, the Maharashtra government is set to release ₹1,100 crore for cultivators in the next few days, an official said.

Bijay Kumar, Principal Secretary, Agriculture, said on Sunday said that a sum of ₹1,100 crore will be released in the coming week to the affected farmers.

The details will be announced soon as April 30 and May 1 are government holidays and banks will not be functioning on those days, he said.

“The State government has prepared a detailed list of the beneficiary farmers and their bank accounts. The money will be credited to their accounts,” a senior official from the State relief and rehabilitation department said. As per the State government’s primary survey, the pink bollworm and other pests last year affected cotton crop on 34 lakh hectares of land as against the total cultivation on 43 lakh hectares.