Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has asked district collectors to ensure that survey of crop loss due to untimely rains and hailstorm is completed by April 5 at any cost. Survey lists should be displayed on Panchayat buildings and farmers’ claims and objections against them be immediately disposed of. He said that survey should be undertaken with humanitarian approach and intention to extend maximum cooperation to farmers in this hour of crisis. large-scale amendments have been made in Revenue Book of Circulars for providing maximum relief to farmers. He asked collectors to include provision of relief against crops loss due to untimely rain in RBC. He directed that less shiny and thin wheat should also be procured.
The Chief Minister held a video-conference at Mantralaya on Monday with divisional commissioners and collectors of calamity-affected districts regarding crop loss, public participation-based survey for assessment of crop loss and arrangements for wheat procurement. He also directed to redress the problems narrated by farmers to him during his visits to affected areas. He said that he would visit affected villages again.
Regarding relief, the Chief Minister said that every field was irrigated as a result of good rains this year. Therefore, survey should be undertaken considering entire crop as irrigated. He informed that relief has been fixed at Rs15,000 per hectare. He said that spirit to help farmers should be considered in survey work. Recovery of loan has been suspended till next crop. Government will bear interest for this period. Therefore, banks should be prevented from recovering loans.
Affected farmers will be provided wheat, rice and salt at Rs1 per kg, 4 litre subsidised kerosene and one kg sugar. Affected farmers will be given Rs25,000 for marriage of daughter. He directed to increase compensation of Rs40 on loss of poultry to Rs60 per foul. Relief against loss to crops of vegetables and spices has been increased to Rs26,000 per hectare. The Chief Minister praised collectors for promptness and sensitive approach in survey of crop loss.
The Chief Minister directed collectors to make available benefit of crop insurance necessarily to farmers. He said that it would give a major relief to farmers. For this, it is necessary that crop cutting experiment is undertaken timely and collectors should remain alert in this regard. He said that failure to make available benefit of crop insurance to farmers is a criminal negligence. For this, collectors will be held responsible. He said that there should be no discrepancy in crop cutting experiment so that farmers get benefit of crop insurance easily. The Chief Minister also directed to provide immediate relief for repair of house damaged by excessive rains and hailstorm.
