In Madhya Pradesh, a Central team arrived in Bhopal today to assess the loss to crops in the state in the recent spell of unseasonal rain and hailstorms. The team will hold discussions with state’s senior officers, this afternoon.

The team will visit different areas in three groups to take stock of the situation on the ground. It will also meet the Chief Secretary Antony De Sa on Saturday after field visits.

Our correspondent reports that the state government has claimed that the crops in about 26 lakh hectare have been damaged in the recent spell of rains and hailstorm across the state. The loss of about 13 thousand crore rupees has been estimated initially.

Over twenty thousand villages have been affected by unseasonal rains. Chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has demanded a special package for the affected farmers from the centre. Shariq Noor.

An Inter-ministerial Central team will begin a two-day visit to Maharashtra today. The team led by Joint Secretary in the Agriculture Ministry Sanjeev Chopra will visit 16 district affected by hailstorm and take stock of losses caused due to it.

After the assessment, the team team will submit its report to the High Level Committee for central assistance to States affected by natural calamity.

The unseasonal rain accompanied by winds and hail storm caused heavy damages to the standing rabi crops in Maharashtra. Official report said, 15 persons died in the rain related incidents, besides leaving hundreds of animals and thousands of birds dead.