Pawar to visit Marathwada to review crop loss due to rain

NCP chief Sharad Pawar will on November 6 visit Parbhani, Hingoli and Nanded districts in the Marathwada region of Maharashtra to review damage caused to crops by untimely showers.

The former Union agriculture minister will be accompanied by Parli MLA Dhananjay Munde during the visit, a statement from the latter's office said.

The NCP president will begin the tour from Selu in Parbhani.

"The showers have caused crop losses not only in Marathwada, but across the state...Pawar Saheb will interact with affected farmers during the visit to Marathwada districts," the statement said.

Meanwhile, NCP's chief spokesperson Nawab Malik said a delegation of oppositon grand alliance leaders will meet Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari in a day or two, seeking declaration of "wet drought" (caused by prolonged rainfall) in the state.

"The untimely rains have caused heavy crop losses. Hence, wet drought be declared to give relief to farmers of the state," he said.

Malik said the grand alliance will also urge the Governor to take steps to address the issue of unemployment triggered by shutting down of industries in the state.