Rs 48,000 cr transferred in farmers' accounts in 4 years: CM

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said Friday said his government deposited Rs 48,000 crore in farmers' bank accounts directly over the last four years.

Around Rs 21,000 crore were distributed to farmers under the loan waiver scheme, while another 27,000 crore were given under various direct benefit transfer schemes, he said.

He was speaking at the inauguration of Agro Vision Exhibition here.

Talking about the government's flagship Jalyukta Shivar water conservation scheme, Fadnavis said, "Maharashtra witnessed 124 percent rain fall in 2013-14 and the agricultural production was 137 lakh metric tons that year.

"Last year Maharashtra witnessed only 84 per cent rainfall, 40 per cent less, but the agricultural production was 180 metric tons...This happened due to creation of decentralised water structures which enabled water supply in villages," he said.

The irrigation potential is increasing in the state, the chief minister said.

"The Gosikhurd irrigation project could irrigate only 8,000 hectares of land in 2014, and last year 50,000 hectares land was irrigated by the same project. We are pursuing pipe irrigation now," he said.