Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari briefs PM Narendra Modi about damage of rabi crops in UP

NEW DELHI: After visiting farm fields in Uttar Pradesh, Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari today briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the extent of damage to rabi crops like wheat and potato in the state due to recent unseasonal rains.

"Gadkari briefed the Prime Minister about rabi crops damage in Uttar Pradesh," sources said.

Briefing about the damage of rabi crops was done after the Cabinet meeting. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and Home Minister Rajnath Singh were also present.

Gadkari, who visited today the damaged farm fields in and around Agra, Aligarh and Meerut, reported to the PM about farmers' situation and their demand for early relief package to tide over the situation, sources said.

Also, PM's forthcoming foreign trip came up for discussion during the meeting, sources added.

Besides Gadkari, Minister of State for Home Affairs Haribhai Parthibhai Chaudhary and MoS for Water and Sanitation Ram Kripal Yadav were also part of the team that visited distressed farmers.

The UP government has already sent a report on the extent of crop damage and has sought a relief package of Rs 700 crore. The state has estimated crop damage in 28 lakh hectare.