Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has said that crops over 6.36 lakh hectares and 6.20 lakh farmers have been affected by the recent hailstorm in the State. In all, 24 persons have died in the natural calamity.
Chouhan said he would meet the Prime Minister, Union Agriculture Minister and Home Minister on March 21 and put forth the farmers’ case before them. He would also urge the Union government to cooperate with the farmers in their hour of crisis and would demand a special package like the one extended to Maharashtra.
Talking to media persons, Chouhan said the State had been affected by severe natural calamities this year. Hailstorm had struck the State thrice. As many as 8 persons had died in the two earlier spells of hailstorm. Thus, the number of deaths due to hailstorm in the State had risen to 32, besides the death of 240 domestic animals. The Chief Minister said he would visit hailstorm-affected areas from tomorrow. The State Government stood by the farmers in their hour of crisis and was making every possible effort to provide them relief, he said.
The State government has suspended the recovery of lagan and agriculture loans from them. Agriculture loans would be converted from short-term to mid-term. Besides, the State government would pay interest on outstanding loans on their behalf for three years. Arrangements for seeds and fertilisers would be made for the next Kharif season. Necessary arrangements would also be made to enable farmers to sow summer crops in areas where irrigation water was available. Surcharge on electricity bills would also be waived. The State Government would pay 50 per cent of the original electricity bills while farmers would have to pay the remaining amount in 10 easy installments, Chouhan said.
Chouhan said the Union Government did not recognise 25 to 50 per cent damage as crop loss although this loss was severe for the farmers. The State government would provide relief to those farmers also whose crops had suffered 25 to 50 per cent damage. The State Government had started distributing relief to farmers whose crops had suffered over 50 per cent loss considering it cent percent damage. The Union Government provides compensation at a rate of Rs 8,000 per hectare for wheat, but the State government would provide Rs 10,000 per hectare. He said that crops of coriander, jeera (cumin), ajwain (celery) and rai had suffered considerable losses. Work to assess the damage had begun. Assessment process would be completed by March 20, he said.