Ahmedabad: The Gujarat government has declared a Rs. 564 crore relief package for Rajkot, Jamnagar, Porbandar, and Junagadh districts to compensate farmers for losses arising due to heavy rains in September, state government spokesperson and minister Jitu Vaghani said on Wednesday.
Speaking after the weekly cabinet meeting, Vaghani told reporters the relief package covers 2.82 lakh farmers in 662 villages. Farmers who have suffered crop loss of 33% or more because of the heavy rains will be eligible to be paid Rs. 13,000 per hectare for a maximum of two hectares.
Farmers will be required to apply on the Digital Gujarat portal from October 25 to November 20 for receiving aid under the package.
The minister said the survey to assess the crop damage in Ahmedabad, Botad, Amreli, Bhavnagar, Surendranagar, and Chhota Udepur is in progress and would be completed soon.
Talking about Covid-19 vaccination, Vaghani said 49% of state’s eligible population has received both doses of the vaccine, and the government would further intensify its efforts to achieve 100% coverage. He said awareness programmes would be organised to encourage remaining people to get vaccinated at the earliest.
The cabinet also approved a revolving fund of Rs. 500 crore for providing loans at zero interest rates to farmers.
Vaghani also said the Road and Building department is working on a war footing to repair the roads damaged by heavy rains, and the work would be completed before Diwali.