Maharashtra Farmer Receives Just Rs 6 as Compensation for Severe Crop Damage

People across Maharashtra have been anxiously awaiting compensation for crop losses for over two months.

In Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district of Maharashtra, a farmer has made a shocking claim that he received merely Rs 6 as compensation from the government for significant crop losses caused by heavy rainfall and subsequent flooding.

Digambar Sudhakar Tangde, who hails from Dawarwadi village in Paithan taluka, shared his experience with reporters at Nandar village. He spoke during Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray's tour of the Marathwada region, where the former chief minister was engaging with affected farmers.

This incident follows similar reports from Akola district, where farmers recently revealed receiving nominal compensation amounts of Rs 3 and Rs 21 under the central Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY). These farmers described the meager aid as "insulting" and a "mockery" of their dire situation, subsequently staging a protest at the district collector's office and returning the amounts via cheques.

Tangde, who owns just two acres of land, expressed his frustration: "I received a message that Rs 6 had been credited to my bank account. The government should feel ashamed of providing such a paltry sum. This amount isn't even enough to purchase a cup of tea. The government has made a mockery of farmers' plight."

He further stated, "We require a comprehensive loan waiver, yet the government continues to play such cruel jokes on farmers by crediting mere Rs 6 to my account. We are not concerned with politics. However, it's worth noting that former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray at least implemented a loan waiver during his tenure. The current administration initially announced similar relief but has failed to deliver."

Tangde highlighted that people have been patiently waiting for compensation for the past two months, only to receive such insignificant amounts.

Farmers across Maharashtra, particularly in several districts of the Marathwada region, suffered extensive crop damage due to torrential rains and flooding during August-September.

In response to the crisis, the state government announced last month a compensation package totaling Rs 31,628 crore for affected farmers. This package reportedly includes compensation for crop losses, soil erosion, hospitalization of injured individuals, family compensation, and damage to houses, shops, and cattle sheds, among other provisions.