Mumbai: Maharashtra's Agriculture Minister and NCP leader Manikrao Kokate has once again stirred controversy with his comments—this time over the issue of crop damage assessments following unseasonal rains.
While visiting affected farms, Kokate questioned the need for assessments in barren fields, asking, “Should we conduct a punchnama of lumps of soil?”—a statement that has drawn sharp criticism from across the state.
Kokate, already under scrutiny for a previous controversial remark about farm loan waivers for which he later apologized, found himself in the eye of another storm.
His latest comment, perceived as dismissive toward farmers who have suffered significant losses due to unseasonal rainfall, has sparked outrage among farmer groups and opposition leaders.
Facing backlash, Kokate issued a clarification, saying his words were misunderstood. “Currently, there is no cotton or soybean in the fields—only fruit orchards are standing, and they have suffered severe damage due to unseasonal rain. But what assessment can be done in fields where nothing is left? That’s what I meant,” he said while speaking to the media.
He added that he had already instructed district collectors to carry out punchnamas in areas where crops—especially onions—have suffered damage. “I’ve given orders for proper damage assessments wherever crops like onions and others have been affected. However, we cannot assess harvested produce stored at home,” Kokate clarified.
Defending his statement further, Kokate said, “Where there are crops, compensation will be given to affected farmers. But if there are no crops in the field, how can damage assessment be done? If my wording was inappropriate, I apologize, but my intentions have been misunderstood.”
His remark—“Should we conduct punchnamas of soil lumps?”—has been widely criticized as being insensitive, especially during a time when many farmers are grappling with the aftermath of unpredictable weather and resulting agricultural losses.
