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Marathwada Liberation Day celebrated in Nanded, Latur; ministers assure help over crop loss
Latur/Nanded, Sep 17 (PTI) Maharashtra’s Latur and Nanded districts celebrated the Marathwada Mukti Sangram Din, also known as Marathwada Liberation Day, on Thursday, as ministers sought to assuage concerns over crop loss amid a drought-like situation in the region.
In Latur, Guardian Minister Shivendrasinhraje Bhosale said Kharif crops have suffered extensive damage due to poor rainfall. He said the government has taken the situation seriously and will stand firmly by farmers during this crisis.
He was speaking during the flag-hoisting ceremony at the Martyrs’ Memorial in Latur to mark the 78th Marathwada Liberation Day. India gained independence on August 15, 1947, but the Marathwada region in central Maharashtra was liberated from the Hyderabad Nizam’s rule only on September 17, 1948.
Bhosale said Latur district could face a serious water-scarcity situation if the return monsoon remains weak. Every drop of water is therefore crucial at present, he said, adding that water stored in irrigation projects had been reserved for drinking purposes.
Plans were also being made to ensure adequate fodder for livestock during the scarcity period.
Earlier in the day, addressing an event in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the eight-district Marathwada region, which includes Latur and Nanded districts, was facing a drought year this time.
In neighbouring Nanded district, Guardian Minister Atul Save said inadequate rainfall had affected crops, promising that the government would take appropriate steps to provide assistance to affected farmers.
Save said the state’s Punyeshlok Ahilyadevi Holkar Farmers’ Loan Waiver Scheme-2026 was being implemented effectively in the district.
Under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, Rs 966 crore has been distributed, while Rs 76.53 crore has been released under the 23rd instalment of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme, he said.
He urged eligible farmers to complete AgriStack registration and Aadhaar authentication to ensure that no beneficiary was deprived of the scheme’s benefits. Farmers who have received the loan waiver are being issued no-dues certificates, and banks should provide them fresh crop loans without delay, he said.
The government has also decided to provide relief to farmers on electricity bills, besides implementing the loan waiver scheme, Save said.
Marathwada Liberation Day was also celebrated in various educational institutes, including the Nanded-based Swami Ramanand Teerth Marathwada University. The region comprises the districts of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Latur, Nanded, Dharashiv, Beed, Hingoli, Jalna and Parbhani. PTI COR NR
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.