New Delhi: A farmer in Maharashtra was seen in a video desperately trying to collect his farm produce with bare hands during heavy rain.
Gaurav Panwar was sitting on the road trying to save peanut crop from being washed away.
After this heartbreaking video went viral, Union Minister Shivraj Chouhan reached out to him, assuring financial help, NDTV reported.
Gaurav Panwar brought his peanut crop to a market in Washim when it started to rain.
When his hard-earned produce started to be washed away in the rain, Panwar, with helplessness written all over his face, tried to collect it with his bare hands.
Moved by the painful scene, the Union Agriculture Minister called the farmer to assure that the loss would be compensated.
In another video that Shivraj Chouhan shared on X, the farmer could be heard telling the minster that he had suffered a lot of losses.
Chouhan told Panwar that the video pained him, adding ‘But, don't worry. The Maharashtra government is very sensitive to the issue of farmers. I have spoken to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and the state's agriculture minister. I have spoken to the collector as well. Whatever losses have occurred will be compensated so that you and your family don't face any trouble.’
The minister assured him that the issue would be solved by Monday, adding ‘we are all with you’.
Panwar told the minister that he was not feeling well after he got drenched in the rain.
Maharashtra NCP (Sharad Pawar) president Jayant Patil earlier called upon the government to immediately provide support to the affected farmers.
‘The state is experiencing heavy unseasonal rainfall, with hailstorms reported in several regions. This has caused significant crop damage, and the meteorological department has predicted more rainfall in the coming days. I urge the government to provide immediate assistance to the affected farmers,’ he was quoted as saying.