A political controversy erupted after Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan corrected his statement in Parliament regarding the receipt of a crucial memorandum from the Maharashtra government seeking central funds for extensive crop damage.
Minister's U-Turn on Memorandum Receipt
Initially, Minister Chouhan informed Parliament that he had not received any formal request from the state for central assistance to tackle the massive agricultural losses caused by excessive rainfall. However, on Wednesday, he amended his statement, clarifying that the memorandum was indeed received by his office on November 27.
This reversal put the ruling Mahayuti coalition government in the state in an awkward position, especially with the winter session of the state assembly about to commence. Officials revealed that not one, but two detailed memorandums assessing the crop damage were dispatched to the central government—the first on November 27 and a follow-up on December 1.
Scale of the Devastation in Maharashtra
The state's official memorandum presents a grim picture of the agricultural crisis triggered by heavy rains between June 1 and September 30. The assessment is staggering: an estimated 84 lakh hectares of crops were destroyed, affecting a colossal 1.1 crore farmers across Maharashtra.
This revised figure is significantly higher than the state's own preliminary estimate released in October, which had pegged the damage at 68.7 lakh hectares impacting 60 lakh farmers. Officials attributed the delay in sending the memorandum to the Centre to the prolonged monsoon, which hindered the conduct of necessary panchnamas (field surveys) to assess the losses accurately.
Path to Relief and Rehabilitation
The memorandum sent on November 27 was addressed to the Ministry of Home Affairs, which oversees the disaster management department. According to state officials, Maharashtra has already distributed relief worth nearly Rs 14,000 crore to affected farmers.
In October, the state had announced a comprehensive relief package of Rs 31,628 crore, touted as the highest such package in its history. This package covers compensation for crop damage as well as funds for rebuilding infrastructure devastated by the floods.
Officials indicated that while the memorandums have been submitted, several rounds of meetings with central authorities are expected before a final decision is made on the quantum of financial aid. The floods were so severe that they eroded the topsoil in many fields. For this specific damage, the state is providing assistance of Rs 47,000 per hectare, with an additional Rs 3 lakh being made available through the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) scheme for restoration work.
