Aid to compensate for farmers' losses coincides with Lok Sabha elections IN what might turn out to be a windfall for farmers having suffered damage to their crops due to pests and bad weather a year ago, the Maharashtra government is all set to distribute Rs 136 crore as compensation. The announcement of the government package happens to coincide with the Lok Sabha elections. During March and April 2008, unseasonal rains, hailstorm and pests had damaged crops like soyabean and mangoes in several districts of the state. The issue was taken up by local legislators, demanding compensation for farmers. Thus in the winter session of the state legislature, held in Nagpur in December 2008, it was decided to compensate the farmers and a package of Rs 136 crore was approved by the legislative assembly to be distributed to them. The compensation is to be given as input subsidy to farmers under the central government's Calamity Relief Fund (CRF) and the National Calamity Contingency Fund (NCCF). However, despite completion of formalities, the state's revenue department waited for the right moment and issued a Government Resolution (GR) on March 30,2009 to set the ball in motion. The government is to distribute Rs 44 crore as compensation for damage to crops due to incessant rains and hailstorm; Rs 40 crore for damage to soyabean crop because of pests and caterpillar attack; and Rs 7.32 crore for loss of Alpanso crop in the Konkan region. Besides, Rs 40.18 crore is to be distributed as compensation for various horticultural crops lost in 21 districts of the state. The largest chunk of relief has been earmarked for mango producers in Sindhudurg (Rs 27.42 crore) and Ratnagiri (Rs 9.09 crore) districts that incidentally form the Lok Sabha constituency being contested by industry minister Narayan Rane's son Nilesh Rane. The beneficiaries elsewhere include Rs 15.18 crore in Latur (the home district of former chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh) for damage to soyabean crop; and Rs 1.18 crore in Raigad (where Union minister A R Antulay is seeking re-election) for damage to crop due to incessant rains. "Since it is not a new decision taken by the government after the election code of conduct has been imposed, it would not be a violation of the code of conduct," a senior official said. "It is an old decision which is being implemented." A senior minister, when contacted said that there was nothing wrong in the timing of the aid. "Our government has always helped farmers," he said , pointing out that he biggest package of Rs 71,000 crore was distributed by the UPA government and later the state government declared its own package over Rs 6,000 crore to take care of farmers left out of centre