Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has said that the recent hailstorm has emerged as the biggest natural disaster in the State.
He said that the State Government has taken extraordinary decisions to deal with this. Chouhan was holding discussions with farmers after inspecting hailstorm-affected fields in villages of Gwalior division on Sunday.
The Chief Minister said that the State Government will urge President and the Central Government to declare this disaster as National Disaster. He said that over 10 thousand villages in the State have been affected by hailstorm. The State Government has provisioned Rs2,000 crore to provide relief to affected farmers. The Chief Minister said that affected farmers will be provided compensation at the rate of Rs15 thousand per hectare. He said that state government has issued orders to suspend loan recovery from farmers.
The Chief Minister informed that interest on loans taken by farmers will be paid by state government. He said that private moneylenders will not be allowed to make forcible recoveries from farmers. If any moneylender indulges in unlawful act for loan recovery, he will be sent to jail.
Chouhan said that the State Government will assist farmers in 2 ways. In the first phase, cash relief will be provided and in the second phase they will be provided assistance through crop insurance scheme.
Half premium for crop insurance will be paid by the state government. Affected families will be provided wheat and rice at the rate of Re. one per kg till next crop. Assistance of Rs25 thousand each will be given for marriage of such farmers’ daughters.
He directed revenue staff to undertake crop loss survey with total honesty and transparency. The farmers who have suffered over 50 percent crop loss will be provided compensation by considering their loss as cent percent.
Besides, they will also be given relief against damage to houses and loss of cattle.
He said that the State Government will make arrangements of seeds and fertilisers for next crop through interest-free loans. The Chief Minister exhorted the Government officers and employees in right earnest.
Chouhan visited field of farmer Maniram Jatava at village Ther in Gwalior district, inspected damage crop of mustard and assured him of maximum assistance. Similarly, he also inspected damaged crops in the fields of Arko Bai, Ramhit, Ram Prakash and Gajua at village Babhed in Shivpuri district.
He inspected fields of Ram Ratan Ahirwar and Joshi at village Udgaon in Datia district and Pooran Malya and Kalua at Myapur in Ashok Nagar district. The Chief Minister asked the farmers to have courage and assured them of maximum assistance.