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Gandhinagar, Nov 5 (IANS) On the auspicious occasion of the 556th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Wednesday visited the Gurdwara at Por village in Gandhinagar district and participated in prayers, satsang and kirtan organized by the Sikh community.
The Chief Minister offered prayers before Guru Granth Sahib and sought blessings for the happiness, prosperity, peace and progress of all the citizens of the state.
On behalf of the Gurudwara, Chief Sevadar Gurpreet Singh Dhillon and Paramjit Kaur Chhabra congratulated the Chief Minister by presenting him Angavastram and a replica of the Golden Temple. During the visit, the Chief Minister also joined the devotees in the service of distribution of Prasad in the community langar.
Energy and Petrochemicals Minister Hrishikesh Patel, Gandhinagar Mayor Meenaben Patel, MLA Ritaben Patel and Alpesh Thakor were also present on the occasion.
Meanwhile, the state government is set to announce a massive agriculture relief package to aid farmers affected by the recent unseasonal rains.
The relief is aimed at providing assistance to farmers whose standing crops suffered severe damage due to heavy and unseasonal rains that lashed the state in the last week of October. Initial assessments show that crops on more than 10 lakh hectares of agricultural land in 249 talukas have been seriously affected.
Unofficial estimates now suggest that more than 51 lakh hectares of the 85 lakh hectares under cultivation in the state have suffered extensive damage.
To determine the exact scale of damage, the government has deployed survey teams to the affected districts. Officials said the relief package will give priority to compensation for farmers whose crops have been destroyed or seriously affected, thereby ensuring immediate financial assistance and rehabilitation assistance.
Chief Minister Patel visited rain-affected areas of Saurashtra and personally interacted with farmers to assess the extent of crop damage.
After his visit, CM Patel called several meetings with senior officials to review the situation. Officials said the survey has been completed in about 70 percent of the affected areas.
Acting on the Chief Minister’s direction to expedite the process, the teams are working to expeditiously complete the remaining assessments, paving the way for the early announcement of a comprehensive relief package for farmers.
–IANS
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