Gandhinagar: Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel today chaired a meeting of the state cabinet in the state capital to review the damage caused to crops due to unseasonal rains in the last week of October and to plan financial assistance for affected farmers.

Briefing the media after the meeting, State Government Spokesperson Minister Jitu Vaghani said that, according to preliminary reports from the State Emergency Operation Centre, heavy rainfall was recorded between October 23 and 28 across 239 talukas in all 33 districts of Gujarat. Initial estimates suggest that more than 10 lakh hectares of crop area have been affected.

The Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister expressed deep concern over the situation and instructed officials to immediately begin surveys in affected districts as per SDRF norms and complete them within seven days, Vaghani said.

To ensure timely relief, the minister added that the survey work will be conducted using the latest technology through agricultural progress tools, along with physical verification, to make sure no affected farmer is left out of assistance.

The Agriculture Department has also issued a special district-wise “Agro Advisory” for farmers whose crops are still standing. The advisory includes scientific measures for protecting various crops, while farmers are being guided through multiple communication channels, he said.

Reassuring the farmers, Vaghani emphasized that extending help to them is not an act of charity but a moral responsibility of the government. “The state government has always stood by the farmers and will continue to do so in the future,” he said.

It is noteworthy that, following the recent unseasonal rains, the Chief Minister had directed all cabinet members to visit the affected areas and assess the situation firsthand, while also monitoring developments in real time from Gandhinagar. DeshGujarat