Gandhinagar: Diwali, the festival of light and prosperity, brought some good news for farmers as the Gujarat government today announced a ₹947-crore relief package for farmers whose crops were damaged by heavy rainfall in August and September. Losses were reported in Junagadh, Panchmahal, Kutch, Patan, and Vav-Tharad districts.

As part of the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF), ₹563 crore will be disbursed to affected farmers, while an additional ₹384 crore will come from the state budget, taking the total relief amount to ₹947 crore.

According to an official statement, surveys were carried out in 800 villages across 18 talukas in five districts, where significant crop damage was recorded. The losses primarily affected millet, cotton, groundnut, vegetables, pulses, fodder, and horticultural crops like pomegranate.

Farmers who have suffered crop damage of 33% or more will receive graded compensation. Non-irrigated crops will be compensated at ₹12,000 per hectare, irrigated crops at ₹22,000 per hectare, and perennial horticultural crops at ₹27,500 per hectare. The assistance will be limited to a maximum of two hectares per farmer account.

In addition, the government has set aside ₹2,500 crore to address the persistent problem of waterlogging in the low-lying regions of Vav-Tharad and Patan districts. These areas faced severe inundation during the heavy rains, resulting in major damage to standing crops. DeshGujarat