Maharashtra chief minister Prithviraj Chavan on Monday called on farmers in Vidarbha to adopt crop pattern based on the changing climatic conditions.

Speaking at a function in Katol near here, Chavan said natural calamities and global warming have prompted a re-think on the crop pattern issue since crops were getting damaged, leading to revenue losses.

District guardian minister Shivajirao Moghe, minister for food and civil supplies Anil Deshmukh and minister of state for finance Rajendra Mulak were present on the occasion.

Chavan said the Centre was serious about noting the climate changes that are affecting crops and hence allocated Rs 1,000 crore for modernisation of Meteorology department.

It has set up Doppler radars at Nagpur and Hyderabad as part of weather forecast modernisation initiative, he said.

The chief minister said the Telangana agitation and floods in Orissa affected the coal supply to power plants, resulting in electricity shortage in Maharashtra.

Later, inaugurating a new building of Mohpa Municipal Council in the district, Chavan said his Government was setting up cotton processing units in Vidarbha.

He admitted that due to ban on exports, cotton growers were unable to take benefit of high prices prevailing in the international market despite record domestic production.

Chavan said the Government was making farm loan up to Rs one lakh interest-free.

Meanwhile, Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti President Kishore Tiwari criticised Chavan for not accepting the demand for raising the minimum support price of cotton, soya and paddy during his tour of Vidarbha on Monday.