The Maharashtra government on Monday announced a financial assistance of Rs 25,000 per hectare for affected farmers in Vidarbha after heavy rains damaged crops in the region.

The announcement was made by Relief and Rehabilitation minister Patangrao Kadam in the Legislative Assembly, after MLAs from Vidarbha region vociferously demanded that the state government declare a “wet” drought in flood-ravaged areas of the region.

The legislators, unhappy with the minister’s announcement, held up proceedings over the issue, leading to the House being adjourned four times, before being adjourned for the day.

BJP leader Devendra Phadanvis, who raised the issue through a calling attention notice, said many talukas, especially in east Vidarbha, have been badly affected due to very heavy rainfall over the last several days.

The maximum damage has been to cotton and soyabean crops.Paddy crop, which requires lot of water, has also been damaged. The worst affected is Yavatmal district. Heavy rainfall and thunderstorm have wrecked havoc in Chandrapur, Wardha and Gadchiroli districts.

A committee comprising three officials would take stock of the crop damage, Kadam said. Dissatisfied with the minister’s reply, legislators from opposition and ruling parties, hailing from Vidarbha, said the government should declare a wet drought in the region.

Chief minister Prithviraj Chavan informed the House that he would visit Vidarbha and assess the crop damage. Still not satisfied, the legislators shouted slogans, demanding adequate relief for Vidarbha.

Amid the noisy scenes, Deputy Speaker Vasant Purke, who was in the chair, announced passage of supplementary demands pertaining to urban development, social justice, planning and tribal development departments, before adjourning the House for the day.

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