Massive Relief Package Announced for Gujarat's Farmers
The Gujarat government has declared a substantial financial relief package worth Rs 10,000 crore to support farmers whose crops suffered extensive damage due to recent unseasonal rainfall. Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel described the weather event as the most severe the state has witnessed in the last two decades, highlighting the gravity of the situation for the agricultural community.
Timing and Impact of the Calamity
This crucial announcement was made merely two days before the state was scheduled to commence its Minimum Support Price (MSP) procurement operation for Kharif season produce. The government plans to purchase crops like groundnuts, moong, urad, and soybean from farmers in a procurement drive valued at over Rs 15,000 crore.
The untimely rains have inflicted the most damage in the regions of Saurashtra and South Gujarat, where Kharif crops were fully matured and ready for harvest. According to official estimates, yield from approximately 42 lakh hectares of agricultural land spread across 16,000 villages has been adversely affected by the October rains.
Political Reactions and Previous Aid
Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel emphasized the government's commitment, stating that he and his ministerial team conducted tours of the affected districts to personally assess the damage and understand the farmers' plight. "The government, with full sensitivity, stands by the farmers in this time of natural calamity," CM Patel was quoted as saying in an official statement.
However, the announcement faced immediate criticism from the opposition Congress party. Lalji Desai, the Congress Seva Dal chief, labeled the relief amount a "mockery" of the farmers' losses. In a video statement, Desai argued that given the scale of the damage, a package of at least Rs one lakh crore was expected. He calculated that the current package translates to roughly Rs 22,000 per family, assuming over one crore people are linked to farming and an average family size of 4.5 members. Desai also claimed the government's action was a response to the "huge response" received by the Congress's Kisan Akrosh Yatra.
This is the second relief package declared by the state government in a matter of weeks. Earlier, a package of Rs 947 crore was sanctioned for crop damage caused by extended monsoon rains in August and September, which had severely impacted districts including Junagadh, Panchmahal, Kutch, Patan, and the newly formed Vav-Tharad.
