The Gujarat government has announced ₹947 crore relief package for farmers in five districts for crop damage due to heavy rains in August and September.

Agriculture Minister Jitu Vaghani today said the decision was taken by Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, who held meetings even on Diwali to ensure the special package is finalised for farmers.

Assistance of ₹563 crore will be provided as per provisions of SDRF, while Rs 384 crore has been added from the state budget, totalling ₹947 crore, he said.

The assistance will be paid to affected farmers from 800 villages in 18 talukas of Junagadh, Panchmahal, Kutch, Patan and Vav-Tharad districts, a government release said.

“Financial assistance will be given as per norms fixed by the state government for crop damage assistance, which are different for irrigated and non-irrigated land per hectares. The financial assistance norms are also different for normal and horticultural crops,” it added.

-PTI

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Monday (October 20, 2025) said a low pressure area is likely to form over the Bay of Bengal within the next 24 hours, which could bring light to moderate rain in parts of Odisha over the next three days.

According to the IMD’s evening bulletin, “An upper air cyclonic circulation persists over south Andaman Sea and adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal extending up to 1.5 km above mean sea level. Under its influence, the low pressure area would be formed over the bay in the next 24 hours.” 

As many as 11 districts in Kerala are bracing for heavy rains on Tuesday (October 21, 2025).

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow alert for Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Idukki, Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode and Wayanad.

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