Joshi said a compensation of Rs 1,000 per hectare (up to 5 hectares only) will be paid to farmers after assessment. Farmers will be eligible for compensation even if only 50 per cent of the crop was damaged.

The Chief Minister said crop loan recovery would be stayed and short-term loans would be converted into medium and long-term loans. Instructions would be issued to the officials concerned not to forcibly recover loans and disconnect electric connections for non-payment of bills by farmers.

About the much-publicised new-look crop insurance scheme worked out by his Government, the Chief Minister said efforts would be made to introduce it before May 1. He said insurance benefits will be applicable only to marginal farmers in the beginning and would be to the tune of 89 per cent of the damaged crop. The Chief Minister also said that the Centre had been urged to extend afinancial package for farmers.

In Aurangabad, after a review meeting with top officials Joshi said zilla parishad and State Departments would be asked to review scarcity conditions in Marathwada. He said Rs 7.88-crore action plan for farmers had been formulated to tackle the scarcity situation on a war-footing basis during April to June this year. The action plan comprises laying of 62 water pipelines, 931 tubewells and deployment of water tankers in 3,477 of the 8,381 villages which were declared as drought-hit.