Drought-Hit Farmer Sends Rs 5,000 to Fadnavis in Protest

CHHATRAPATI SAMBHAJINAGAR A soybean farmer from Maharashtra’s Dharashiv district has sent a money order of Rs 5,000 to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to protest against what he considers inadequate interim financial assistance for drought-hit farmers. Chand Shaikh, a farmer from Surdi village in Dharashiv tehsil, said he decided to send the money after the State government announced an initial relief payment of Rs 5,000 for affected farmers ahead of Diwali. Shaikh said he cultivated soybeans on 1.5 acres of land, spending Rs 25,000 on the crop. However, the harvest yielded only 60 kg of soybeans, earning him just Rs 3,900. To send the Rs 5,000 money order to the Chief Minister, Shaikh borrowed Rs 1,100 from a friend. He said the assistance announced by the government was too small compared with the losses suffered by farmers. “I cultivated a soybean crop on 1.5 acres of my farm. I spent Rs 25,000 and received a 60-kg yield. I could earn just Rs 3,900. I borrowed Rs 1,100 from my friend to send the money order,” Shaikh told reporters outside the Surdi post office. A man who identified himself as Shaikh’s friend confirmed that he had lent the farmer Rs 1,100. Fadnavis announced the initial relief payment on Wednesday, saying the amount would be deposited directly into farmers’ bank accounts before Diwali. The government said the payment was intended to provide urgent assistance while detailed administrative assessments and central evaluation procedures continued. More than 85% of talukas in Maharashtra have been declared drought-hit. The government recently added 40 talukas to the affected list, taking the total to 305 out of 358.