hyderabad
Former Minister and Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader T. Harish Rao has demanded that the State government sanction compensation/input subsidy to a large number of farmers who have suffered crop damage/loss in the hails, gales and untimely rain in parts of Adilabad, Nizamabad, Karmareddy, Karimnagar, Rajanna-Sircilla, Medak, Siddipet, Rangareddy and other districts for the last couple of days.
He stated that the crop damage/loss has occurred right before the harvesting time leaving the farmers who raised crops such as paddy, maize and others in deep distress. Horticultural crops such as mango, papaya and others have also been damaged badly. But, the Congress government is not responding to the calamity.
The former minister stated that the previous BRS government had paid input subsidy at the rate of ₹10,000 per acre during a similar situation last year by releasing about ₹ 151.65 crore to 1,51,645 acres extent in which 1,30,988 farmers have suffered crop damage/loss. He demanded that the Congress government too pay at least the same measure of relief at the earliest by instructing the authorities to take up enumeration of the affected extent.
On the other hand, BRS leaders led by former MP B. Vinod Kumar examined the crop loss suffered by farmers in Pothugal, Sevalal Thanda and Gannevanipalli villages in Mustabad and Obulapur village in Tangallapalli mandals in Rajanna-Sircilla district on Tuesday in the hails and untimely rain for the last couple of days. He requested the government to get the crop damage survey done immediately and pay relief of at least ₹10,000 per acre.
He also consoled the bereaved family of farmer E. Yellaiah in Mustabad who died after an electrical pole had fallen on him on Monday and urged the government to release Rythu Bima claim amount of ₹5 lakh and another ₹10 lakh as ex gratia.
Minister’s fiat
Meanwhile, Minister for Agriculture Tummala Nageswara Rao has admitted that crop damage/loss due to untimely rain, hails and gales that occurred for the last three days had come to the government’s notice and similar weather conditions were forecast for the next three days.
He urged the farming community having standing crops to take necessary measures to limit the crop damage/loss and instructed the agriculture and horticulture department officials to give timely advise to farmers, particularly to prevent the damage of produce such as paddy, chilli and other crops brought to market yards.
