The Maharashtra government has announced compensation for cotton and paddy farmers whose crops have been damaged due to pest attacks in the 2017 kharif season.For both the crops, the state announced a compensation of 6,800 rupees per ha for un-irrigated areas and 13,500 rupees per ha for irrigated crops. The compensation would be payable, with an upper ceiling of 2 ha per farmer, where the extent of damage to crops from pest is at least 33%. The compensation amount will be directly credited to banks account of farmers without any deductions. Compensation under the Centre’s crop insurance scheme and Seeds Act would be paid separately