After Narmada flood, Gujarat govt says will provide relief for farmers

A special relief package for farmers affected by the Narmada River’s overflow in the districts of Bharuch, Narmada, and Vadodara between September 16 and September 18 was announced by the Gujarati government on Saturday.

- DILIP SINGH KSHATRIYA

Due to last week’s water release from the Sardar Sarovar dam and the torrential rains in the higher reaches of the Narmada, several areas in Gujarat were submerged.

Congress has called it a “man-made disaster” and demanded an investigation by a special investigation team (SIT). Brackish Water Research Centre, which has been operating in the state since 2003, has even written a letter to Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel.

The government said that the package will benefit farmers who have suffered a 33 per cent or greater loss for the kharif season 2023-24 in villages, subject to a two-hectare cap.