AHMEDABAD: Unseasonal rains have wreaked havoc across several districts of Gujarat, devastating standing crops and leaving thousands of farmers in distress.
Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel swiftly mobilised his cabinet, dispatching ministers to the ground for direct assessment. With over 10,00,000 hectares of farmland reportedly affected, the state government has now approved a week-long survey to evaluate losses and ensure compensation reaches the farmers swiftly.
Unseasonal rains lashing Gujarat for the past several days have left a trail of devastation across the state’s farmlands.
Crops in key agricultural belts, including Tapi, Navsari, Gir Somnath, Amreli, Bhavnagar, and Surat, have suffered extensive damage, shaking the backbone of the farming community.
Sensing the gravity of the situation, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel immediately directed his ministers to fan out across the affected areas and assess the damage first-hand.
Acting on the CM’s orders, senior ministers interacted with farmers and gathered on-ground details of crop destruction and their hardships.
At today’s cabinet meeting, the government officially approved a statewide survey to measure the damage. Gram sevaks have been tasked with carrying out the assessment within a week, with a detailed report to be submitted to the administration for prompt relief measures.
Briefing journalists after the cabinet meeting, Government Spokesperson and Cabinet Minister Jitu Vaghani emphasised the government’s commitment to farmers, saying, “Over the past few days, we have all witnessed the impact of unseasonal rains and the hardships faced by our farmers. The Chief Minister and the entire cabinet stand firmly with the farming community during this difficult time.”
He revealed that over 10,00,000 hectares of farmland have already been reported damaged, with major losses seen in soybean, cotton, sugarcane, and groundnut crops.
A five-member ministerial committee, formed by CM Patel, has already submitted its detailed ground report to the cabinet, triggering immediate follow-up actions.
Earlier, taking stock of the situation on the ground, Agriculture Minister Jitu Vaghani chaired a review meeting with officials in Shihor (Bhavnagar district) and later visited Kajavdar village, where he met distressed farmers.
He assured that CM Patel is personally monitoring the developments and that “all necessary steps will be taken to ensure farmers get adequate help without delay.”
On October 20, the Gujarat government announced a Rs 947 crore agricultural relief package for farmers hit by the August–September rains across 18 talukas in five districts.
The package includes Rs 563 crore under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) provisions and an additional Rs 384 crore provided directly by the state government to ensure timely financial assistance to affected farmers.
With ministers on the move and gram sevaks gearing up for village-level assessments, the Patel government has entered a crucial week of response, one that will decide how quickly relief reaches those whose livelihoods now hang in the balance.
