After extensive damage caused to kharif crops during the recent unseasonal rains, an assessment has started in Rajasthan for providing relief to the affected farmers. The survey of crops has been launched in Tonk, Bundi and Kota districts in the presence of revenue officials and representatives of insurance companies.
Principal Agriculture Secretary Dinesh Kumar, who visited Mundia, Mehandwas and Banthali villages in Tonk, said on Monday that he took stock of the loss of millet and other crops and instructed officials to complete the survey of crop failure within the next three to four days in view of the upcoming sowing of rabi crops.
Mr. Kumar said as many as 52,000 reports of crop failure had been received online, while the survey was being conducted jointly by officials of the Agriculture and Revenue Departments. A large number of farmers gave reports on the toll-free phone number and representatives of crop insurance companies were promptly informed.
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Senior officials of the Agriculture Department visited Talab and Ganeshpura villages in Bundi district and interacted with the farmers about the damage caused to paddy and other crops. Mr. Kumar said insurance companies were requested to work with sensitivity for giving compensation and dispose of the complaints within seven days.
Action will also be taken to provide relief to farmers under the State Disaster Relief Fund’s norms. Mr. Kumar, accompanied by Agriculture Commissioner Kana Ram, also visited Badgaon in Kota district to get information about the damage caused to soybean and paddy crops. “If a farmer is unable to lodge his complaint, the officials will themselves register the information in the prescribed format and take action,” he said.
The Principal Secretary later held a meeting with officials of the Kota division through video conferencing and gave instructions for fast calculation of damages and clearance of claims. Crop harvesting experiments of the Revenue Board would be completed online to enable crop insurance firms to release the compensation without delay, Mr. Kumar said.
