Crops on 71% land in Thane damaged in rains: Maharashtra minister

Maharashtra minister Eknath Shinde

on Thursday said crops on 71 per cent of cultivated land in Thane district have been destroyed due to unseasonal showers.

The district guardian minister toured the rain- affected talukas of Bhiwandi, Shahpur and Murbad in Thane district to assess the crop damage.

Of 45,666 hectares of cultivated land, crops on 32,500 hectares have been damaged due to rains, he said.

The minister assured farmers that the state government will provide assistance to all cultivators and no one will be deprived of government aid.

Shinde also directed the district administration to complete the 'panchnama' of damages on a war footing.

According to district superintending agricultural officer Ankush Mane, 97,000 farmers in the district, 38,000 had taken crop insurance.

Paddy is widely cultivated in Thane district and this year, about 16,000 hectares of land in Bhiwandi taluka was under paddy cultivation, the district administration said.

In Murbad, of 15,511 hectares, about 12,000 hectares and in Shahapur, out of 14,155 hectares, about 12,500 hectares of paddy fields were damaged due to rains, it was stated.

The minister also met persons injured in Wednesday's lightning strike at Palaspada in Shahapur taluka.