India, Sept. 21 -- Maharashtra Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal has demanded Rs1 lakh per hectare in financial assistance and a complete loan waiver for farmers affected by a severe dry spell in several parts of the state.

Sapkal visited farms in Buldhana district on Sunday and alleged that the state government was delaying financial assistance through repeated meetings and discussions while standing crops were being damaged.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had last week said the government would conduct crop-loss surveys after October 5 and provide financial assistance from the state's own resources while awaiting assistance from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF).

Sapkal alleged that several parts of Maharashtra had r...