Daijiworld Media Network - Akola

Akola, Sep 23: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Wednesday assured farmers that the state government would provide substantial financial assistance amid crop losses caused by erratic rainfall and prolonged dry spells.

“Farmers must not lose heart; the government will not leave them in the lurch and will provide substantial financial assistance,” Shinde said during a visit to drought-hit villages in Akola district.

Shinde visited Dhadham and Vyala villages in Balapur block to assess crop damage and interact with affected farmers.

He was accompanied by Labour and District Guardian Minister Aakash Fundkar, Soil and Water Conservation Minister Sanjay Rathod, Minister of State Ashish Jaiswal, MP Anup Dhotre, MLAs Sanjay Gaikwad and Kiran Sarnaik, Mayor Sharda Khedkar and senior administrative officials.

During the visit, Shinde inspected damaged fields belonging to farmers G.T. Jadhav in Dhadham and Savita Vasudev Washimkar in Vyala. He also interacted with farmers and urged them to remain resilient during the difficult period.

“The government will ensure our farming community does not celebrate a dark Diwali this year. Broad discussions have already taken place in the Cabinet, and an official notification regarding relief measures will be issued shortly,” he said.

Shinde said prolonged dry spells had severely affected crops, particularly soybean and pigeon pea (tur), and called for collective efforts to support farmers.

He said farmers, who provide food for society, have the primary right to the state exchequer and assured that the government would continue to stand by them.

“We are committed to standing shoulder-to-shoulder with our farmers through these challenging times,” he said.

An emotional moment occurred in Vyala when farmer Samadhan Surkar broke down while speaking to Shinde.

“Seeing you today drove away the thoughts of suicide,” Surkar told the Deputy Chief Minister.

Surkar, who owns five acres of farmland in Kanheri Gawali village of Balapur taluka, said his soybean and pigeon pea crops had been devastated by the prolonged dry spell.

“I had thoughts of suicide in my mind... but after meeting you today, those thoughts have left my mind,” he said.

Shinde reassured Surkar and other farmers gathered at the village that the government would stand firmly with them during the crisis.

In a related incident in Nilanga in Latur district, another farmer reportedly broke down in tears while meeting Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.