Poll code no barrier to give aid to affected farmers, says Gopinath Munde

“There is no need to take permission from the Election Commission to provide financial aid to the affected farmers during the code of conduct,” the Beed Lok Sabha MP said.

   

Munde was speaking at a press conference at the BJP office in Beed.

   

The state government has a right to take suo motu decision on financial assistance to the farmers, the former deputy chief minister said.

   

Due to hailstorm and unseasonal rains in the last eight days, standing crops like wheat, jowar, sunflower, pulses and vegetables suffered heavy damage in several parts of the state particularly Vidarbha and Marathwada, he said.

   

This is not a normal natural calamity. Hence, the Centre and state government should declare a special package for the affected farmers, Munde said.

   

The government officials should quickly assess the damage so that relief is promptly provided to agriculturists, who do not have any other source of income, he added.

(Agencies)

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Fresh snowfall in Kashmir Valley

The residents of the Valley woke up to a white cover of snow which had enveloped the landscape.  

Nearly three inches of snow had accumulated in Srinagar city while more than one-and-a-half foot was recorded in Gulmarg tourist resort and several other parts of north Kashmir.

  

In Pahalgam resort, one foot of snow had been recorded till 8.30 AM, officials said.

   

The snowfall was preceded by heavy rainfall in most parts of the Valley last evening with Srinagar recording 46.3 mm of rainfall.

  

Divisional Administration of Kashmir announced that schools up to standard VIII will be closed for two days due to a dip in temperature caused by the downpour, an official spokesman said.

  

Schools in the Valley had reopened on March 3 after three months of winter vacation.

  

The downpour has led to water-logging of all major roads around the commercial hub of Lal Chowk and surrounding areas.

   

Traffic was moving at a snail's pace while pedestrians were facing difficulty in moving around due to puddles on the roads.

(Agencies)

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